Take me with you
by GeordieLass
Summary: As the prospect of retirement looms for the Butler of Downton Abbey will Charles and Elsie finally part ways or will they find happiness and fulfilment together? This story is set at some point after Series 4.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Hello again! I thought I would try to write what I believe will eventually happen with our beloved Elsie and Charles. I am going to keep this story as realistic as possible and very true to the characters. Hope you enjoy and as always, reviews are a joy to receive.**

Chapter 1

It probably was not noticeable to anyone else but she could see the difference in him; his gait had slowed, his reactions a little weary and his shoulders drooped ever so slightly. She could see how it frustrated him, how he hated not to be the young, fit, and agile man of his younger years. Yet he still worked so hard, from morning until night, and still gave more effort than most of the young footmen combined. However, he was a proud man and as Mrs Hughes watched him serve drinks at the far end of the Great Hall, she knew he could not cope being anything less than perfect in his role as Butler of Downton Abbey.

######

"It's been a long day Mr Carson," Mrs Hughes said, as she stepped into his pantry that evening.

"It has indeed Mrs Hughes. However, the ball seemed to be a great success," he said, raising himself from his seat with much effort to greet his friend.

"Please sit down Mr Carson, no need to stand on my account. Do you not think you should be heading up to bed? You look tired," she said sympathetically.

"No I am quite fine thank you Mrs Hughes. I am not tired at all. In fact I think I will finish updating the wine lists before I go up to bed," he replied firmly. He may not be as young as he once was but he hated the pity he could see in her eyes. He did not want Mrs Hughes to see him as some sort of tired old man.

Mrs Hughes rolled her eyes; thinking what a stubborn old fool Mr Carson could be sometimes. He looked ready to drop and yet he was determined to do more work. She knew how he hated it when she fussed but he looked so exhausted; she couldn't help herself,

"Mr Carson … surely the wine lists can wait? You've had a long day … come on, I am going up, walk with me …" she tried again.

"Mrs Hughes I am not going to bed!" he shouted bad-temperedly.

She looked at him in annoyance. How dare he speak to me like that, she thought.

"Fine … do what you like ..." she said, just as snappily.

"Fine … I will," he replied defiantly.

Mrs Hughes made a noise, signalling something between exasperation and hot-blooded anger and marched out of the room. Mr Carson slumped back into his chair, feeling very sheepish after speaking to her in such a way. He knew that her motives for wanting him to rest were completely pure; she cared for him and she could see he was completely worn out. He just could not bear getting older and he could not stand her treating him like he was old and decrepit. He wanted her, of all people, to see him as fit and able, not tired and crumbling.

Mrs Hughes was only a few years younger than him but she didn't seem to have changed at all, he thought ruefully. She still had the energy of 10 of her maids and worked a longer day than anyone in the house. However, he knew that he was not as fit as he once was; nowhere near in fact. It pained him to admit this to himself, but he was no longer sure he was up to the task of being Butler of Downton. Yes, he could certainly do the job adequately but he could no longer do it to the standard he once had and to him, that was simply not acceptable. For the first time in his life, the notion of retirement crossed his mind. He had previously thought he would be Butler of Downton until he took his last breath, however he realised now that he was coming to the natural end of his time serving this great house. He no longer felt up to the task and it might now be time to step aside and let a younger man take his place.

Fear gripped Mr Carson's heart at the thought of leaving Downton, leaving the family and leaving his colleagues but most of all, he felt considerably unsettled at the thought of leaving Mrs Hughes. However would he cope without her? This was not a decision to be made lightly. It needed further thought. He knew he was procrastinating, pushing back a decision that needed to be made but to leave Downton, and everything and everyone he knew, would be the biggest and most dreaded step of his life and he needed to make the right decision.

A shiver ran through him as he stood in his pantry. It was the middle of winter and the temperature downstairs, as well as in the staff bedrooms, was brisk to say the least. He smiled thinking of Mrs Hughes. She normally filled them both a hot water bottle to take to their respective beds. It was one of the many little ways she looked after him. Well, she certainly wouldn't have made him a hot water bottle tonight, he thought. He felt a piercing pain in his chest. He, at best, had annoyed her greatly this evening and at worst he had truly upset her. The thought saddened him. He wished it was morning so that he could apologise and make things better. He shook his head and sighed, switching off the lamps in his pantry as he dragged his tired body to the door. Thankfully he looked to the floor as he closed the door, otherwise he would have tripped over the metal hot water bottle resting just outside in the corridor.

Mr Carson's face lit up as he smiled a relieved and very happy smile. She still cares, he thought joyfully. Despite me being an old fool, she still cares.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

A week had passed since the ball; the thought of possible retirement never far from Mr Carson's mind. He had not mentioned the idea to anyone at all. He couldn't. If he uttered the words it would make it real and he wasn't ready for that yet. Lord Gillingham had been staying for the last few days but now it was time for him to return to London, and so Mr Carson was organising the footman whilst they stored the Lord's luggage in the car. There was one last suitcase to go and Mr Carson, very aware of all of the work he still had to complete that day, decided to carry it himself rather than wait for the footmen or Mr Barrow, to return.

He heaved the large suitcase onto his shoulder and began to make his way to the car. He had not anticipated how heavy it was and his knees were buckling under the weight as he reached the outside yard.

"Mr Carson! What on earth are you doing?" Mrs Hughes cried, as she saw him carrying the huge suitcase.

"I am fishing for salmon Mrs Hughes! What does it look like I am doing?" he said tetchily.

"There is no need for sarcasm …" she said, rolling her eyes.

"There'll be no need for anything if I don't get this blasted case to the car ..." he began but was cut off by the increasingly irked Housekeeper in front of him.

"Don't be such a fool … put that case down at once and let Mr Barrow or one of the footmen carry it," she ordered.

However, the implication that Mr Carson should let a younger and fitter man carry it, only served to make him more stubborn.

"I am perfectly capable of carrying this case thank you very much … please do stand aside and let me be on my way," he said sternly. The case was extraordinarily heavy and this delay was not helping.

"Mr Carson put it down … you are going to do yourself an injury!" Mrs Hughes shouted, now completely losing her patience.

"I will not put it down!" he barked back.

"Oh for goodness sake, put it down!" she shrieked, as she reached up to try and pull the suitcase off his shoulder,

"What on earth are you doing?! Mrs Hughes, stop it right now …" Mr Carson said, as he gripped the case even more tightly.

"I will not stop …. not unless you put it down …" she said, still pulling at the handle on the side of the case. The case had started to slide off his shoulder.

"Mrs Hughes … what has gotten into you … the case is going to fall and you may get injured … let go at once!" he shouted.

At that moment, the suitcase came tumbling off his shoulder, thankfully missing Mrs Hughes by a few inches and hitting the ground with a great thud. Both the Butler and Housekeeper, worn out by their spat, breathed heavily as they stood either side of the case.

"Are you quite happy now?" Mr Carson asked.

"No I am not … not at all … what has gotten into you? It is not your job to carry suitcases … you should not be lifting such heavy luggage …" she gasped.

"Oh I see … and why not? Why is it ok for Mr Barrow or one of the footmen to carry this case and not me?" he asked, knowing the answer.

"Well … because … because …" she stuttered.

"Yes?" he pushed further.

"… because it's their job to do the carrying … you are their senior and should not have to do any such thing …" she said, pleased with herself that she had avoided mentioning his age. She had noticed that he had been particularly prickly about his advancing years recently.

"That is not the reason and you know it! You think I am too old … too old to be carrying a suitcase … you think I should leave such heavy lifting to the younger men … admit it …" he said, accusingly.

" … well yes … if I must … I do admit it … but there is no shame in that at all Mr Carson … why shouldn't the younger men do the heavier chores … when you were their age I am sure you would have done the same for your seniors … it is nothing to be annoyed or ashamed about … none of us are as young as we once were…." she reasoned.

"… well you still do the hard tasks when you have to … only yesterday I found you changing the bed linen in the Blue Room … are you telling me that is your job?" he asked.

"No … it isn't … but the maids were all busy and so I decided to do it myself …" she replied. She was staggered by his reaction. She had obviously hit a nerve.

"Ahh … so you are not too old to do chores but I am?" he countered.

"… changing a few sheets is hardly as arduous as lifting a suitcase that weighs about fifty tons!" she shouted back.

Charles's shook his head at this exaggeration.

" …do not try to get out of this Mrs Hughes … you think I am old … you think I should be resting … you think I am a crumbly old man and that I am not up to being Butler any more …" he said, pain lacing his voice.

Mrs Hughes looked at him horrified, she thought no such thing.

"Mr Carson … that is not true at all … you are the finest Butler this House has ever seen, or is ever likely to see for that matter, I just think it wouldn't hurt if you took things a little easier that's all … I am not questioning your ability … not for a second …" she said reassuringly.

Mr Carson didn't respond. He just stared at his feet. Mrs Hughes felt terrible; she could see how miserable he looked. She knew how proud he was and she had never meant to make him feel old or weak or inferior in any way. She just did not want him to end up in an early grave through sheer stubbornness or pride. She cared for him too much to stand by and let that happen.

"Mr Carson I apologise … I never meant to hurt you … quite the reverse … I could not bear it if anything should happen to you …" Mrs Hughes said, her voice a little shaky.

Mr Carson knew it was his insecurities on show here; he knew he was being overly sensitive because he was feeling old, he was feeling weak. He needed to say something.

"I know that Mrs Hughes … I am sorry … just ignore me … let's leave this suitcase for one of the boys and go inside …" he said. He looked up into her eyes and gave a weary smile.

She smiled in return and for a few seconds they stood in the outside yard gazing at each other. Neither made a move to go inside. Mrs Hughes eventually broke the silence,

"I am sorry if it feels like I nag you Mr Carson. I know you hate it when I fuss ..." she said smiling.

"You have nothing to be sorry for Mrs Hughes ... truth be told ... if I ever leave Downton I will miss your fussing ... I will miss you putting me right ..." he said genuinely.

"You aren't thinking of leaving are you?" she said, half-joking, half-worried.

Mr Carson didn't reply. He just swallowed the emotions that were threatening to come to the surface and smiled. A feeling of complete fear overtook Mrs Hughes as she looked at her friend.

**A/N: Thank you for the reviews so far. Please do keep reviewing- it helps me enormously and encourages me to keep writing x**


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

It must be more difficult for men in some ways, she thought, as she sat at the desk in her sitting-room. Men like Mr Carson are so proud and feel the need to be fit and strong to remain 'manly'. As ridiculous as that was, she knew it to be true. His loss of physical strength, which was perfectly natural for a man in his sixties, made him feel like less of a man. Yet he was still a fine figure of a man, she thought happily and then immediately blushed. She certainly couldn't tell Mr Carson that. Mrs Hughes smiled at that thought; Mr Carson would die of shock if she should ever utter such words.

She rose to leave her sitting-room; it was time for her daily round of the upstairs bedrooms to check that everything was in order. They did not have any guests staying at the House tonight but she liked the rooms to be in pristine condition in case any surprise guests arrived unannounced.

######

Mrs Hughes had just come out of the Fauntleroy Suite when she heard Lady Mary talking to her father across the corridor.

"I simply cannot believe it … was he serious? I thought Carson would be with us always …" Lady Mary said to Lord Grantham.

"He seemed very serious … his mind is made up … he said it would take him a month to complete Barrow's training and then he will retire," Lord Grantham replied.

Mrs Hughes leaned against the wall for support, as they continued their conversation. Her heart was almost jumping out of her chest and she struggled to remain composed.

"So he will retire to a cottage on the Estate …" Lady Mary continued.

"Yes … I have said he can take his pick ... either a cottage on the Estate or in the village …" Lord Grantham added.

Elsie had heard enough. She needed to sit down. She felt quite faint but somehow forced herself to stand up straight and make her way back down to her sitting-room.

######

Elsie was flabbergasted as she sat at her desk, running through the conversation she had just overheard. He was retiring? When had he decided this? She could not believe that he had made this decision without speaking to her. He couldn't be retiring surely? She knew his pace had slowed and he was finding the role tiring but she had never thought for one minute that he would retire, not yet anyway. Downton was in his blood; he loved the House, the Family, more than any of the downstairs staff. She had never thought he would retire so soon. In fact she had never thought he would retire at all. No, no that was not true. She had dreamed he would retire one day. But in her dreams she had hoped that … stop it Elsie, she chided herself. That had been a ridiculous thought obviously. Goodness, he does not even think enough of you to tell you his news in person, she thought. I had to find out about his decision from others.

At that moment, Mr Carson walked into her sitting-room.

"Mrs Hughes, Lady Roxburgh is joining the family for dinner tonight … she isn't planning on staying but could you have a guest bedroom ready just in case?" he smiled.

"Yes, yes, of course Mr Carson," Mrs Hughes replied. As she looked at his smiling face she realised she may have been a little harsh. Of course he would have to tell Lord Grantham first. It wasn't his fault that Lord Grantham had then told Lady Mary. He is probably about to tell me now, she thought, as she prepared herself to try and look happy for him. She stood in front of him.

"Was there anything else Mr Carson?" she prompted.

He seemed to hesitate for just a second, before he replied,

"No, nothing else, thank you Mrs Hughes," and then he turned and walked out of her room.

Mrs Hughes was stunned. They had been close colleagues and best friends for over 20 years and yet he had not shared this most momentous piece of news with her. She was so hurt. Her eyes filled with tears; tears for this betrayal, for not confiding in her, but mostly tears for her lost hopes and dreams. She had hoped, in her most private thoughts, that they might retire together. She was not deluded enough to think that he was madly in love with her or that he might want her in any other way than as a companion. But they worked so well together; at times she could not see where one ended and the other began. They seemed to instinctively know what the other was feeling. They were always there for each other. They were both used to being together, albeit in a professional and not a personal sense. She had dreamed that one day they might both be ready to retire and that they would decide to spend the rest of their days together. But now it seemed he had already made plans, plans to retire that did not include her. She felt so foolish for thinking he might want to spend his retirement with her. As she sat back down in her chair, she covered her face with her hands and the sobs that she had been containing until this point began to escape.

"Mrs Hughes, what on earth is the matter?" Mrs Patmore asked as she walked into the sitting-room, concerned for her friend.

"Oh nothing, Mrs Patmore, nothing at all … never mind me … I am just an old fool …" Elsie said, as light-heartedly as she could muster. She stood to greet Mrs Patmore, wiping her tears away with her handkerchief.

"Now … you don't expect me to believe that do you?" Mrs Patmore replied kindly.

Elsie smiled through her tears, "No, of course not …".

"Good … then pour us a glass of that fine Scottish whisky you keep hidden in the cupboard, and tell me everything …" the Cook smiled sympathetically.

**A/N: Thank you for your support so far, please do keep reviewing- I love to read your thoughts x**


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Mr Carson sat at his desk in his pantry. He had made his decision and he knew he had to tell her. However, it wasn't as simple as that. Whenever he had thought about his retirement in the past, he had not imagined that he would retire alone; he had imagined he would retire with Mrs Hughes. This was a huge presumption on his part and he knew it. He had never discussed this with her or given her any indication of his feelings for her. Mr Carson shook his head: why on earth would Mrs Hughes want to retire with me? She is years away from retirement and, even if she did want to retire, she could have her pick of many men in the village. There were several retired, and some widowed, men who would do anything to marry a woman like Mrs Hughes. Mr Carson was not blind; he saw the way they fussed around her at Church on Sundays. Why on earth would she want to be saddled with an old fool like me? He thought sadly.

The last thing Mr Carson wanted was for her to feel obliged to take care of him. No, he could not bear it if she retired with him out of obligation or pity. Yet, he really did not know how he could live without her. They were so much a part of each other's lives. He did not know how he would get through one day without her beside him, let alone the many years that hopefully stretched ahead. However, it would be wrong to ask her at this point. She was not ready to retire and he did not want to ruin their friendship by placing her in a difficult position by asking this of her. She would probably be horrified by the thought anyway. They were friends and colleagues, that was all they had ever been, and any thoughts that Mr Carson may have had to the contrary were discourteous and highly inappropriate. Of course, he would be proud to have such a treasure on his arm, but she did not see him in that way. Yet, he could not escape the thought that they could both live happily with each other as companions, even if she did not share his feelings for her. They were happy now as friends; why wouldn't they continue to be happy as friends living in the same home? Mr Carson smiled joyfully, thinking how lovely it would be to share his retirement years with Mrs Hughes, his best friend in the entire world. Could he ask her?

######

An entire day had passed and Mr Carson had still not told Mrs Hughes he was retiring. They were sat at the breakfast table with the downstairs staff when that decision was well and truly taken out of his hands.

"So Mr Carson, is it true?" Mr Barrow said smugly, as he sat beside Mrs Hughes.

"Is what true Mr Barrow? You'll have to be a little more specific," Mr Carson replied. He had no idea what the Under-Butler was referring to but he certainly did not like the sly grin that was curling at his lips.

"That you are retiring Mr Carson?" Mr Barrow said, to be met with gasps from around the table. Every person in the room stared at Mr Carson, except the woman to his right. She simply looked down at the table, willing her tears not to fall.

Mr Carson looked completely thrown, wondering how on earth Thomas had found out this news? He had wanted to tell Mrs Hughes before everyone else; although he knew he had been avoiding telling her for the last day or so. He was furious that she'd had to find out in this way. She wouldn't even look at him, he noted, as she bowed her head, staring straight down at the table. He took a deep breath and replied as formerly as possible,

"Yes that is true Mr Barrow. However, I had planned to tell everyone in my own good time, rather than you blurting it out over breakfast. However, as you have now ruined that plan … yes I am retiring in a month … I think it is time for a change of pace for myself … however this news should not cause any concern at all …the running of the house will continue as normal …now let's finish our breakfast …" Mr Carson said, with a note of finality.

Mr Carson took a deep breath as the whispers and gasps settled down, and normal conversation resumed as they ate their breakfast. He looked at Mrs Hughes, although she refused to catch his eye. She then placed her spoon back on the table, having only half-finished her porridge, and excused herself. He didn't know whether he should go after her or not. He had learned over the years to let her calm down first, before attempting an apology. However, in this instance, he decided time was of the essence.

"Mrs Hughes wait … please wait … I need to talk to you …." Mr Carson said, as he followed her down the corridor.

"I am very busy Mr Carson … I haven't time to chat …" she said firmly.

She could not believe he had disregarded their friendship in this way.

"Mrs Hughes … I am so sorry … I did not mean for you to find out in that way …" he pleaded.

She turned on her heels to look him straight in the eye,

"I didn't ... " she said sadly.

"What do you mean?" he said confused.

"I found out yesterday, when I overheard Lady Mary talking to Lord Grantham about it … it seems that many people knew your news before me … were you ever going to tell me? Or did you plan on leaving one day and letting me work it out for myself? I thought we were friends …" Elsie said, her voice full of emotion.

"We are friends Mrs Hughes, the best of friends and of course I was going to tell you … you were the first person I wanted to tell …" Mr Carson said earnestly.

"Well apparently not … it seems you told a great many people before me …" she countered.

"Mrs Hughes I only told Lord Grantham … he must have told the others …" Mr Carson explained.

"Well it seems it is the talk of the house now …" she said flatly.

"I am so sorry Mrs Hughes …" he said, his voice breaking as he could see the hurt in her eyes.

Mrs Hughes looked up at her Butler's face; she had spent every day for the last twenty years looking up at that face. She wondered how on earth she would survive without him at her side? As their eyes locked, she wished with all of her heart he would take her with him. Even if he did not love her like she loved him, surely they could continue as good friends and companions. She looked up at him and waited for him to speak, willing him to ask her. Yet, he said not a word. Well, she certainly was not going to suggest it, not when it obviously was not what he wanted. Therefore, she took a large breath, and used every fibre of willpower she could gather to say,

"I wish you every happiness Mr Carson … I hope you have a very long and contented retirement."

And with that, she turned away from him, her unshed tears beginning to fall down her cheeks.

Panic gripped Mr Carson. 'Don't be such a fool Charles. Ask her now!' the voice in his head said, trying to spur him into action. He watched as she headed down the corridor, terrified that he would not have the courage to ask her and terrified that if he did ask her she might say no.

"Mrs Hughes ... Mrs Hughes please wait!" he shouted. He heard his own voice utter the words before he realised he had spoken.

The Housekeeper turned around sharply. He could see the tears in her eyes.

"Yes Mr Carson?" she said, her voice trembling.

"I have something to ask you," he stumbled.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

"Yes Mr Carson? What did you want to ask me?" Mrs Hughes asked. Her eyes still full of tears and her voice a little shaky.

"I wanted to ask you …." Mr Carson began but his nerves took over as he paused.

He felt his chest tighten. Could he do this? Could he really ask Mrs Hughes to retire with him? Oh goodness, he thought, I may be about to ruin the best friendship I have ever had. However, there was a chance- a very tiny chance- that this would be the best thing he had ever done. There was a chance that this could lead to a wonderful life with the woman he loved. He knew that it was now or never.

"I wanted to ask you … please do not feel obligated to say yes but … but I wanted to ask you …" he stumbled over his words yet again.

"Mr Carson please!" she demanded. She really did not think her heart could take much more. She watched as Charles seemed to will himself to speak.

"The reason that I did not tell you that I was leaving …. the reason why I have been dreading telling you … well it's because it is not simply a case of telling you my news … I wanted to ask you Mrs Hughes … " he managed.

"Yes?" she said, growing more panicked by the minute.

"Would you possibly consider … retiring with me?" Mr Carson said sincerely.

Mrs Hughes almost fainted in shock. Had she really heard that correctly? Or had she dreamed it?

"You … you want me to retire with you? she asked. She gazed at him, completely staggered by what she had just heard.

"Oh god, you think the idea is preposterous … I am so sorry Mrs Hughes … I should not have asked … I should not have presumed … I am very sorry … please forget I said anything …" he blustered.

Mrs Hughes was utterly gobsmacked as she stared at her friend. She watched him gazing down at his feet looking totally abashed. She realised she had not answered him. He had assumed the worst and the crestfallen man in front of her made her want to weep. She needed to speak.

"Mr Carson … you misunderstand me … you took me by surprise … that is all … " she said and when he did not look up, she said a little more forcefully, "Mr Carson …." The Butler finally raised his head and looked up into her crystal blue eyes. It broke her heart to see him looking so crushed.

"Mr Carson … I would very much like to retire with you …" Mrs Hughes said. A smile as wide as he had ever seen was lighting up her face.

"You would?" Charles said, his expression somewhere between complete astonishment and pure joy.

"I would … very much …" she giggled, delighted by the soppy smile on his face.

"Oh my!" he said. It was all he could muster. Mrs Hughes wanted to retire with him, he could not believe it.

Mr Carson then panicked. She had said she wanted to retire with him but did she mean as his companion or was she agreeing to … well … to more? Mrs Hughes noticed the apprehension that had appeared on his face. She suddenly felt butterflies in her tummy. Was he having second thoughts?

"Is everything alright Mr Carson?" she said softly. His heart ached looking at her anxious expression.

"Mrs Hughes … when I asked you to retire with me … and you said you would like to … I mean … just so we are clear … were you saying that you would like to retire with me as my companion ... my friend … or were you saying that you would retire with me as … well as something else …." he faltered.

"Something else? I don't believe you have asked me anything else?" Mrs Hughes said frankly, although if he was not mistaken, he was sure there was a teasing note in her voice.

Mr Carson began to blush furiously and his mouth suddenly felt very dry.

"Mrs Hughes …" he began and then immediately lost his nerve. He looked around the corridor to make sure no-one else was around. This was not the ideal place to ask this question. If he was going to do this he really needed a little privacy. He let out a deep breath and quickly looked from left to right, surveying his options.

"Right … let's go into my pantry …" he said, as he ushered Mrs Hughes down the corridor.

Mrs Hughes walked ahead. As she reached his pantry she sent a silent prayer up to heaven. Please god, let him mean retire with him as his wife. Please god, let him care enough for me to ask me to marry him. Please god, let this adorable, infuriating man feel even an ounce of the love I feel for him. She turned around to face him, looking up into his deep brown eyes.

"Mrs Hughes … when I asked you to retire with me … I would never suggest such a thing as … well ... as you and I living under the same roof if we were not … if we were not …" he stumbled once again. He could not find the words. His heart was racing so fast. Ask her Charles; do not lose your nerve now, he told himself.

She looked to him full of hope and promise. He looked so tense. She had often seen that panicked look on her Butler's face. It was normally she who would calm him down, soothe him until his equilibrium was restored. However, on this occasion she was not sure how she could ease him but she knew she must, if they were to take this step forward together. So she gave him the warmest smile and then she did something that she had never done in all of the years they had worked together, she reached forward and took his hand in hers, gently stroking his hand for reassurance.

Mr Carson was quite overcome with this gentle touch, as tears began to well in his eyes. He brought his other hand to meet hers, as they smiled at each other, hands interlocked in this tender moment. Mrs Hughes was quite speechless, trying to contain the tears that threatened to fall.

"Mrs Hughes … will you retire with me as my wife? Will you marry me?" he said, his voice breaking.

Mrs Hughes let out a little gasp, as tears of happiness trickled down her face.

"I will Mr Carson … I will." she replied.

**A/N: Thank you so much for all of the reviews. I really appreciate them and I plan to keep this story going. I want to see how this gentle proposal develops and as I mentioned, I want to try and keep this story as true to the characters as is possible x**


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

"So he came right out and asked you? Just like that?" Mrs Patmore said, as excited as if she was the one engaged.

"Well yes … firstly he asked me to retire with him … and then he asked me to be his wife …" Mrs Hughes said, completely thrilled.

"Oh Elsie I am so happy for you … for both of you …" the Cook added.

Mrs Hughes smiled happily at Mrs Patmore. An unsettling thought then crossed the Housekeeper's mind. It was something that had worried her since yesterday when he proposed. She had not wanted to ask him. She would not have known how to ask him. However, she would have to face this problem head on at some point. Mrs Patmore noticed the change in her friend.

"What's wrong Elsie?" she asked.

"Oh Beryl … I feel so silly … and I am over the moon that we are getting married … it's just … well I don't know whether … well whether we are _really_ getting married …" Mrs Hughes tried to explain, putting as much emphasis on the 'really' as she could.

"Eh? What do you mean? Do you think you are going to pretend to be married?" Mrs Patmore asked feeling very confused.

"No … no … we are definitely getting married …" Mrs Hughes began. She could not help the blush that appeared on her cheeks. She felt mortified to even be thinking of such things. Mrs Patmore continued to stare at her; she was rubbing her head with a perplexed expression.

"… what I meant was … I don't know whether it will be a marriage in the true sense … or whether Mr Carson simply meant a marriage as companions …" Mrs Hughes explained, concern written all over her face.

"Oh … I see now … you are wondering if he'll be expecting you to fulfil your marital duties!" Mrs Patmore said, through teasing laughter.

"Beryl! That is not what I meant …" Mrs Hughes replied and then added, " … well not exactly … oh I don't know … it's all so complicated …"

"Well I don't think it is … two people care about each other and are planning to retire together … that makes perfect sense to me …" Mrs Patmore said confidently.

"But do you think he just sees me as a companion or do you think he wants more?" Mrs Hughes asked tentatively.

"Well what do you want?" Mrs Patmore asked.

"Well that's just it … Mr Carson is a dear friend … I am thrilled by the thought of spending my retirement with him … even if it is just as a companion … I just don't want to make a fool of myself by thinking he feels anything more if he doesn't … if he just sees me as a friend ... Beryl he hasn't even kissed me yet … and he certainly hasn't mentioned love …" Mrs Hughes said worriedly.

Mrs Patmore looked at her friend, who was sat on the opposite side of the table. She reached over and gave her hand a gentle squeeze.

"Do you love him?" Mrs Patmore asked kindly.

Mrs Hughes gazed at her friend. She was frightened to admit how she felt for fear of getting hurt. She had barely admitted it to herself, never mind anyone else. However, Mrs Patmore was looking at her with such tenderness.

"I do love him Beryl … I know I do … but if he only wants companionship … that will be ok too …" Mrs Hughes smiled weakly.

Mrs Patmore nodded reassuringly at her friend.

######

Mr Carson was standing in the upstairs dining room. Like a handsome statue ready to tend to the family's needs when called. He used these moments, when he had to stand to attention for hours on end, to think. Some of his most lucid ideas and thoughts had come to him in this room. It was here that a couple of evenings ago, he had made his decision to retire. He had hoped with all of his heart that Mrs Hughes would retire with him but had thought it unlikely that she would want to. He had been delighted when she had said yes. He now looked forward to his retirement with excitement rather than dreading it as he once had. He knew he was the luckiest of men to be marrying Mrs Hughes. She had agreed to be his wife. The thought made him immediately smile.

Over the years he had wondered if he would ever have the nerve to propose to Mrs Hughes. The thought had occurred to him on the very first day they met, over 20 years ago. He knew it right then; he knew she was the one. Yet, for two decades, he had buried that wish deep inside, only daring to let it resurface as the prospect of retirement loomed. However, when he had dreamed of his proposal, it had not been the nervous, stumbling proposal that had actually taken place. In his dream he had declared his love for her, he had gone down on bended knee, he had swept her up in his arms when she said 'yes'. He thought of his proposal yesterday and he was embarrassed and somewhat ashamed. He hadn't told her that he loved her; he did not dare. The last thing he wanted to do was scare her off; and as far as he was concerned she probably only wanted to be his friend. Yes she had agreed to be his wife; living together and not being married was unthinkable and Mr Carson would never have allowed Mrs Hughes to do that. He would never permit her reputation to be sullied. However, he had no way of knowing if she wanted more.

######

It had been a long day. The staff had been stunned by the news of Mr Carson and Mrs Hughes' engagement. All of the staff, even Thomas, seemed genuinely delighted for the pair. The family too, had been overjoyed, although were obviously very disappointed that they would have to find a new Housekeeper, as well as losing their most cherished Butler. Mr Carson and Mrs Hughes, never ones to like a fuss, particularly about such personal news, had ensured the staff returned to their duties and focused on their work. As Mr Carson walked along to Mrs Hughes' sitting room, the other staff having already gone to bed, he was relieved to get back to a degree of normality as he went to bid Mrs Hughes goodnight.

He gave a gentle tap on the door as he entered. She swivelled around in her chair and smiled broadly, openly thrilled to him. She rose from her seat to stand in front of him.

"It's been quite a day Mrs Hughes," Mr Carson said, returning her smile ten-fold.

"It has indeed Mr Carson …" she said and then hesitated.

He sensed her unease and looked to her with a questioning glance.

"I was thinking Mr Carson …" she began and then gulped to try to swallow her nerves.

"Perhaps … now that we are to be married … perhaps you could call me Elsie … and I could call you Charles …" she said nervously.

Mr Carson gave a little chuckle. He looked elated.

"That would be wonderful Mrs … Elsie …" he said, correcting himself. He realised that was the first time he had ever used her first name. That thought pleased him greatly.

Mrs Hughes giggled and replied, "Thank you … Charles …"

Mr Carson gazed at Mrs Hughes as she laughed, realising that he was quite enchanted by her. He loved the way she pronounced his name, in her beautiful Scottish tones. Mrs Hughes bit her lip as she smiled up at her Butler. For a moment, Mr Carson was lost in her lovely blue eyes. He suddenly realised he was staring at her and became very flustered and blushed a very deep shade of pink.

"Well ... good night then ... Elsie," he stuttered.

"Good night Charles," she replied.

Mr Carson wasn't sure what came over him but without another thought, he leaned forward and gave Mrs Hughes the gentlest kiss on the cheek. As he lifted his head, standing straight once again, she realised that she was completely smitten. She could not contain the soppy grin on her face and she noticed happily, that Mr Carson also seemed quite overcome. He coughed loudly to try to hide the effect this chaste kiss had had on him. He realised he was no longer able to speak and he just hoped that his legs would somehow allow him to walk out of the room. He smiled one more time as he turned to walk out of the door. She watched him joyfully as he made his way to the corridor.

"Charles …" she said, as he turned towards her again, the dreamy look still on his face.

Mrs Hughes stepped closer to him, resting one hand on his chest. She then reached up, on tip toes, to plant a soft kiss on his cheek.

"Sweet dreams Charles," she whispered.

Mr Carson gave a contented mumble, and let out a shallow breath, as he turned to walk down the corridor.

"Charles …" she said, as he turned to her once more.

"The stairs are that way …" she said with a delighted giggle, as she pointed in the opposite direction to the one he had just walked in. Mr Carson gave an embarrassed yet blissful laugh, as he headed the right way up to his bedroom.

**A/N: Thank you once again for your reviews- they are wonderful. **


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

The wedding and the start of their retirement was a week away and Mr Carson and Mrs Hughes had spent the last fortnight getting their cottage ready for the big day. So far, they had sorted the living room and kitchen, very kindly furnished from the Grantham's cast-offs and spare furniture; with some nice touches added by Mrs Hughes and Mrs Patmore, the cottage was starting to feel like a home. As the two women stored crockery and tableware in the cupboards in the kitchen, Mrs Hughes had never felt so excited. She had never had her own home; having moved out of her family home as a girl and gone straight into service. She could not believe that everything in this home was hers, hers and Mr Carson's of course.

The two women hummed happily along to the wireless as they worked. Mrs Patmore watched her friend, as she picked up another set of plates, and smiled at her.

"You seem so happy Elsie …" the Cook said merrily.

"I am Beryl … I am …" Mrs Hughes replied.

"No more worries about Mr Carson's feelings? Whether he sees you as a companion or as his love?" Mrs Patmore asked.

"No Beryl … I have decided not to worry about that anymore … what will be will be … and I feel very lucky to be retiring with Mr Carson … whether that be as a friend or as his love …" she replied, and she almost meant it.

Mrs Hughes could not deny that she longed to hear him say those three little words 'I love you'; she had dreamed of him saying those words to her for over 20 years. However, she was no fool and neither of them were in the first flush of youth; perhaps it was more appropriate for them to be great friends and companions rather than expecting something more romantic. Mrs Hughes was not an admirer of sentimentality but she did know her own feelings and she knew that she loved Mr Carson. She smiled to herself just thinking of him. Since that first kiss on the cheek they had become a little more tactile with each other, in the most innocent ways; she took his arm on the way to Church on a Sunday, he continued to kiss her goodnight on the cheek every evening and he had even held her hand in her sitting room whilst they enjoyed a sherry a couple of evenings ago. These gentle touches were rather wonderful, she thought, and if this is what marriage and friendship feels like, she would be very happy indeed.

######

Mr Carson was in the library, serving His Lordship and Mr Branson as they enjoyed a pre-dinner drink.

"So, Mr Carson … how is the cottage coming along?" Tom Branson asked.

"Very well Sir, the downstairs rooms are now ready … Mrs Hughes and Mrs Patmore have been over there today completing the final touches …" Mr Carson smiled.

He could not believe after all of this time living in the Servants' Halls he was about to have his own home. He had nipped over to the cottage briefly this afternoon and was thrilled to see the homely touches that Mrs Hughes had made; a lovely rug by the fireplace, an embroidered tablecloth on the kitchen table and a vase of the sweetest smelling bluebells in the sitting room window. He knew that had he been retiring alone, the house would have remained a shell; however he was thrilled to see it now becoming a home. A home he would share with his dearest Mrs Hughes.

"… and what about the upstairs Mr Carson? Have you furnished the bedroom yet?" Lord Grantham asked, quite innocently.

Mr Carson stumbled at that question. The bedroom was the one room that he and Mrs Hughes had deftly managed to avoid talking about in all of their discussions about their new home. Mr Carson blushed just thinking about that particular room. He had slept in a narrow single bed for decades, as had Mrs Hughes; would she want that to continue? He could not think of any gentlemanly way of asking her about her views on their bedroom. There was only one bedroom in the cottage. They could have chosen a larger home but this one was positioned beautifully, halfway between the House and the village, with a view of the beautiful gardens of Downton at the front. It did have an upstairs storage room that, although small, could be made into a tiny bedroom if needed. Charles blushed again and then realised he had still not answered Lord Grantham.

"We have not furnished the bedroom yet Milord … that will be our next task …" Mr Carson said, ensuring he did not catch the eye of Tom Branson. He was sure the young man had an amused smirk on his face.

"Oh that is good news … as my wife and I would like to buy you a new bed … as a wedding gift … there are no spare beds in storage and anyway … a man and his new wife should start their married life with their own bed …" Lord Grantham said, a little smile on his face when he could see how flustered Mr Carson was becoming at this turn of conversation.

"Oh Milord there is no need for that … I have some savings … I can certainly buy Mrs Hughes and I a new bed … or maybe beds … or … well … anything else we should need … " Mr Carson said panicked.

"Nonsense … please go to Ripon tomorrow and choose yourself any bed … or beds … you should need … we want this to be our gift …" Lord Grantham insisted, still smiling at Mr Carson.

Mr Carson knew that it would be discourteous to refuse this offer again and therefore he replied,

"Thank you Milord …" Now he just had to broach the subject with Mrs Hughes. Oh dear god, he thought.

######

Mr Carson was working in his pantry later that night, when Mrs Hughes knocked lightly on the door and entered. There were still a few staff up and about, most of them in the staff dining room, reading or playing cards.

"Goodnight Charles … I am going to head upstairs …" Mrs Hughes smiled, as she stood in the doorway.

"Oh Elsie … there you are … have you a minute? There is something I need to ask you …" Mr Carson said, standing and walking across the room to where she stood.

"Yes?" she said sweetly, immediately noticing his discomfort.

"Ummm … you see … Lord and Lady Grantham would like to buy us a gift for the wedding …" he began.

"A gift … oh really there is no need … they have already given us so much … the cottage … the furniture … they don't need to give us anything else …" Mrs Hughes said cheerfully.

"I know … that's what I said but I am afraid His Lordship insisted …" Mr Carson replied.

Mrs Hughes smiled and nodded understandingly, realising it would be rude to reject such a kind offer.

"So what is this gift?" she asked.

"Well that's just it …" Mr Carson began, and then looked at his feet seemingly finding something on the floor quite interesting.

Mrs Hughes was puzzled, as she followed his eye line and found nothing of any significance on the floor where his eyes were glued.

"That's just what?" she asked, wondering why on earth Mr Carson was looking so anxious. She wondered what the Grantham's wanted to buy them as a gift.

"They want to buy us a bed … or beds …" Mr Carson added quickly.

Oh, now she understood why he was so uncomfortable. Mr Carson looked up, only to find Mrs Hughes now studying something intently on the floor, as she whispered,

"I see."

"He wants me to go into Ripon tomorrow and order whatever we require … so I need to know ... I need to know ... Oh dear ... I need to know whether to order two beds or … or one …" Mr Carson finally finished.

This was truly awful, he thought. They were both completely mortified and they stood only a few feet apart. The last thing he wanted was for Mrs Hughes to think him some sort of cad for discussing such a topic, therefore he speedily added,

"Elsie … I want you to feel completely at ease in our new home … please do not think me ungentlemanly for broaching this topic … we will of course go with whatever you wish … either is fine with me …" Mr Carson added.

She looked up at him surprised,

"You would be fine with two beds?" she asked, feeling quite hurt. She knew she was no longer the young and sprightly housemaid of her youth, but he would actually be happy for them to sleep separately? Well you have your answer Elsie Hughes, she thought wanly, he wants a companion and not a wife.

Mr Carson could see the hurt in her eyes. She looked dejected. Oh dear god, he thought; now she thinks I want two beds. I was only trying to be chivalrous.

"No ... not at all … I mean … oh I am sorry … I did not mean that the way it sounded … what I meant was that if you want two beds … then two beds it is … and if you want one bed … then that would be wonderful too … very wonderful in fact … oh dear … I am sorry Mrs Hughes … I mean Elsie … oh dear …" Mr Carson had tied himself in knots. He looked at her, completely flummoxed.

Mrs Hughes bit her lip and gave him a little exhausted smile. How on earth were the two of them ever going to relax with each other? If they could not even get through this conversation without misreading each other and getting so ruffled.

At that moment, Mrs Patmore burst through the door. They both looked at her with relief on their faces, glad to have been given an excuse to divert from this discussion.

"Elsie … I have only broken that flaming mixer … Daisy is going to have a field day with this …" Mrs Patmore said.

"Mrs Patmore … have you been using my mixer again … there is flour everywhere …" came Daisy's voice from the corridor. Mrs Patmore rolled her eyes and looked pleadingly to Mrs Hughes for help.

Mrs Hughes chuckled, shaking her head at the poor-timing of this interruption. She looked to Mr Carson apologetically as she signalled she would have to leave. He nodded reassuringly.

"Right … come on then Beryl … let's go and fix the mixer …" Mrs Hughes said, as she walked to door. As they entered the corridor Daisy and Ivy were standing smiling, waiting good-humouredly for an explanation from Mrs Patmore.

This gaggle of women were joined by Mr Carson, who had joined them at the door. As the women walked off towards the kitchen, Mrs Hughes turned to speak to her Butler, the other women stopped too.

"Mr Carson … the matter we were discussing earlier …" she began.

"Yes Mrs Hughes?" he said tensely.

Mrs Hughes took a deep breath and looked Mr Carson straight in the eye.

"I think we should go for one Mr Carson … just one … if that is agreeable with you?" she said apprehensively yet not losing eye contact for a second.

Mr Carson could not help the beaming smile that appeared on his face; a genuine smile that thrilled Mrs Hughes. He had suddenly become very hot and bothered, as he gazed at his soon-to-be wife.

"That would be most agreeable Mrs Hughes … most agreeable indeed," he finished, trying to sound as formal as possible.

Mrs Hughes giggled excitedly as she watched Mr Carson walk back into his pantry, whistling happily as he walked.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Mr Carson sat at his desk, deep in thought. It was now two days to the wedding, two days until they both left Downton for good.

"Penny for your thoughts?" Mrs Hughes said, as he was broken from his reverie.

He looked to her with the most loving smile.

"Oh, I am sorry Elsie … I had drifted off there for a moment …" he said, rising from his seat as she approached his desk.

"Are you ok Charles?" she asked.

"Yes … yes … of course …" he replied genuinely.

Mrs Hughes smiled. She had noticed that he had been distracted over the last few days. He often seemed to be lost in thought. She could not help but feel a little anxious. Was he having second thoughts? Was he regretting asking her to retire with him? A million worried notions such as this had gone through her mind. She had hoped by this point, they may have been a little more relaxed in each other's company. It is a big step for both of us after all, she thought. She just hoped that once they had retired, once they had started their new life together, they would be able to fully enjoy each other's company. She could not lie, she had hoped he may have kissed her by now, kissed her properly rather than sweet kisses to her cheek. They had agreed to share a bed after all; therefore surely a small kiss was in order? However, things remained tentative between them and they had barely spent any time alone together over the last few days.

"Well … that's good … I must say I was starting to get a little anxious … I was worried you may be having second thoughts …" Mrs Hughes joked, trying to say this as lightly as possible.

Mr Carson looked to Mrs Hughes. Surely she did not really think this? However, despite her attempt to pass the comment off as a joke, he could see that she was not entirely jesting.

"Never …" he said confidently. Mrs Hughes smiled at that.

"Well that is good news ... I know what a big step this is for you … to leave Downton … I know how much the House and the Family mean to you Charles …" she offered.

"Indeed the Family and this House do mean a lot to me Elsie … however I am blessed to be taking with me the part of Downton that means the most to me … and that is you …" he said, blushing shyly.

Mrs Hughes gazed at him, so touched by that sentiment. She turned a deep shade of crimson at his compliment. They were not used to such emotions being shared. As she often did, Mrs Hughes deflected this endearing statement with humour.

" … well that is lovely to know ... for a minute I did think you were referring to that old chair from your pantry that you insist we take with us!" she laughed.

Charles chuckled too. He knew she hated that chair but she had accepted it with good grace as she knew how much it meant to him. He had sat in that chair for over 25 years and it was a comfort to have it in their new home. The cottage was all ready for them now and in two days' time they would move in properly. He would then have Mrs Hughes all to himself. He blushed again at that thought. He knew he had been behaving a little oddly of late. Since their discussion about the bed, he had been trying to keep out of Mrs Hughes' way. He had been delighted when she had suggested just one bed. However, since that decision, his thoughts had taken an entirely inappropriate route and he needed to keep his distance to ensure he remained a gentleman. He had hoped that her decision regarding the bed might mean that she wanted a more intimate relationship, however it was dangerous to make such presumptions. Charles smiled at his future wife; she has no idea the effect she has on me, he thought. He had been overjoyed to note the increasing number of gentle touches between the pair. They would always kiss each other on the cheek at bedtime, they often held hands in his pantry and yesterday she had stroked his face when she had found him sitting by the stairs, quite exhausted after a busy morning. If all he ever experienced was such tender moments, he would still be very happy indeed. However, sometimes he noticed a twinkle in her eyes and he allowed himself to dream she might want more, she might want him. He immediately scolded himself; Charles Carson you are a sixty-two year old man who is beginning to creek and tire, why on earth would she be interested in anything more from you?

"I seem to have lost you again Charles …" she smiled.

"Oh yes … apologies again Elsie …" he said, beaming down at Mrs Hughes.

As she stared at Charles, he looked so adorable. Yes he was ageing, as was she, but if anything his greying hair made him look even more distinguished. He may have slowed somewhat but he remained a fine figure of a man. She loved his height, his broad frame. He was so solid, so dependable and so very … attractive. Elsie shook her head gently to try to banish that thought from her mind. Elsie Hughes, you are approaching sixty, you should not be thinking of him in such a way. Yet, she could not help herself. It had been so long since she had been held in a man's arms, since she had been kissed with passion. She may look older but inside she felt the same. Her heart still skipped a beat whenever she was near him. He made her feel like a young girl in many ways. She knew such thoughts were not proper but recently, such thoughts had crossed her mind more and more. She occassioanlly thought she recognised a look in his eyes, a look that would suggest he also wanted more. However, Charles Carson was far too much of a gentleman to take the next step, even if he wanted to. An idea then crossed her mind; could she?

She was worried he might think her too forward; he might think her actions too brazen. However, they were getting married in two days. Surely a little kiss couldn't hurt? She tentatively reached up and cupped his cheek in her hand. He let out the faintest gasp. She gently caressed his cheek as she watched his eyes close. She then moved forward so they were mere inches apart, resting her other hand on his chest she softly brought her lips to his. His eyes remained closed as he enjoyed this tender kiss. Her lips were so soft. At first he did not dare move. He did not want to break this most perfect spell. He then sensed her moving away as her lips left his; he simply could not let this moment end. He slowly opened his eyes to be met by the most beautiful smile. Both of her hands were now resting on his chest as she gazed up into his eyes.

He raised one hand to softly stroke her hair, something he had wanted to do for so long. He lightly pushed some strands of hair behind her ear as his thumb caressed her face, her skin so silky beneath his fingers. Mrs Hughes had forgotten to breathe in the last few seconds as his other hand slipped around her waist to draw her in more closely. Her eyes fluttered closed as he brought his lips to her face, kissing one cheek, and then the other, and then placing the softest kiss to her nose. She smiled contentedly at that, her eyes still closed as she enjoyed the sensations caused by these loving touches. His hand was holding her firmly, stroking her back through her dress. As he rested his forehead against hers, he was beyond happy and what's more, she also seemed to be enjoying his attentions. She raised one hand to tickle the back of his neck, as he smiled blissfully and moved to softly kiss her lips. It was a brief yet meaningful kiss, full of promise for what was to come. As they broke apart, both slightly breathless, Mrs Hughes rested her head on his chest and he hugged her tightly to him, wrapping her up in the most endearing embrace. He kissed the top of hair as he stroked her back in long, soothing strokes. She had never felt so at peace as she rested against his chest.

"You are so beautiful Elsie," he whispered into her hair.

Mrs Hughes sagged contentedly against him, wrapping her arms snugly around his back. She wanted to be held by him forever.

**A/N: Thank you once again for your wonderful reviews- please do keep reviewing x**


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

It was the morning of the wedding and Mrs Hughes and Mr Carson were getting ready in different parts of the house. Mr Carson was in his bedroom on the servant's floor, whilst Mrs Hughes had stayed in one of the guest rooms the previous night. Lady Mary had insisted that she deserved a little luxury on the eve of her wedding and Mrs Patmore was ensuring that the Bride and Groom did not see each other before the Church.

"Here let me do that for you Elsie …" Mrs Patmore said, as she finished fastening the hooks on Mrs Hughes' corset.

"Thank you Beryl … I am all fingers and thumbs today … I don't know what is wrong with me …" Mrs Hughes said, feeling very flustered.

"Well it's only normal to have a few jitters on your wedding day …" Mrs Patmore said, trying to reassure Mrs Hughes who looked about ready to pass out.

"Do you think so? Do you think everyone feels this nervous?" Mrs Hughes said worriedly.

"Of course … it's a big step getting married … it's a big step for anyone but particularly for you and Mr Carson … you have both been single and independent all of this time … and now in your autumn years you have decided to get married … and at the same time you are both retiring … it will take some time to adjust to these changes … it probably will be a little awkward at first … living together … sleeping together … and you have your first night as a married couple to get through … but I am sure once you have got used to each other ..." Mrs Patmore continued.

"Beryl stop! You are not helping …" Mrs Hughes cried. She had grown more and more anxious as Mrs Patmore continued. If she had not felt nervous before, she would now.

"Oh I am sorry Elsie … never mind me … you will be fine … more than fine …" Mrs Patmore said. As the Cook looked at her friend's terrified face she wished she had not said so much.

"Am I doing the right thing Beryl? Am I foolish to get married at my age? I am not sure I will make a very good wife …" Mrs Hughes said anxiously.

"Of course you will Elsie … oh come on now … you and Mr Carson are going to be very happy together …" Mrs Patmore said confidently.

"Do you really think so?" Mrs Hughes asked.

"Yes I really do … and you are going to look stunning in your outfit … Mr Carson will be the proudest groom in all of England …" Mrs Patmore added kindly.

Mrs Hughes smiled weakly, wondering why on earth she had such butterflies in her tummy.

######

"There you are Mr Carson … I wondered where you had gotten to …" Mr Bates said, as he handed Mr Carson a cup of tea.

"Oh thank you Mr Bates … I just needed a breath of fresh air …" Mr Carson replied.

Mr Bates sat next to the Butler, on the bench overlooking the gardens of Downton.

"Are you a little nervous?" Mr Bates asked.

"A little …" Mr Carson replied honestly and after a few seconds added,

"I am not nervous about the wedding … my nerves are for afterwards …"

Mr Bates felt a little uncomfortable to talk about this with Mr Carson. However, he had been charged with taking care of the Butler, whilst Anna and Mrs Patmore looked after Mrs Hughes, and so he thought he should respond.

"When you say afterwards Mr Carson … do you mean the wedding night?" Mr Bates said, his face colouring with embarrassment.

Mr Carson looked stunned, "Good gracious no! I didn't mean that at all …" he replied, aghast that Mr Bates would think such a thing, although to be fair he was very nervous about that as well, however he wouldn't dare admit that to the younger man, and that was not what he had been referring to, he would worry about that later.

"I meant the marriage … I am worried that I won't make a good husband …" Mr Carson explained.

"Mr Carson what a thing to worry about … why wouldn't you make a good husband?" Mr Bates asked.

" … I have never been married … I am stuck in my ways Mr Bates … I have never even lived in my own home before … I have never had to tend a garden or do repairs or … well any of the normal things that normal people do … if I was retiring on my own I could muddle through … but … I would hate to let Mrs Hughes down … she deserves a proper husband who can take care of her …" Mr Carson explained.

"Mr Carson … you will learn to do all of those things and more … and besides ... Mrs Hughes is not looking for a handyman or a gardener … she wants a husband and she wants that husband to be you … " Mr Bates added kindly.

"… but what if she is only marrying me because she doesn't want me to live on my own … she is a kind woman Mr Bates … what if she is simply marrying me out of kindness …" Mr Carson asked.

"Mr Carson you don't really believe that do you? Now I am sure that a woman like Mrs Hughes has had several proposals over the years …" he began and Mr Carson nodded. Mr Bates continued,

"… and she did not say yes to any of those proposals … she said yes to you … she wants to spend the rest of her life with you …"

"… I just hope I will make her happy …" Mr Carson added.

"Well, in all of the time I have worked at Downton, I have never seen her happier than over this last month … so I do not think you have a thing to worry about …" Mr Bates said truthfully, patting the Butler on the back reassuringly.

Mr Carson smiled and said,

"… thank you Mr Bates."

Both Mr Bates and Mr Carson then made their way back inside, with the Butler heading to his bedroom to get dressed.

######

"I think it is time to get you into your outfit Mrs Hughes … Mr Branson will be here soon enough to escort you to the Church …" Anna said happily, as she entered the bedroom.

Mrs Hughes was standing at the window, in her dressing gown, looking out across the meadows of Downton.

"Yes ... yes Anna … I suppose it is time …" Mrs Hughes said nervously.

"Are you ok Elsie?" Mrs Patmore asked.

"Yes … yes … I'll be fine … I am sure I'll be fine …" said Mrs Hughes, sounding anything but fine.

Anna had already fashioned Mrs Hughes' hair; it was softer than her usual style, pinned in a French pleat. She had also added some light make-up to her face to accentuate her natural beauty.

"You look lovely Mrs Hughes …" Anna said, as she smiled reassuringly at the Housekeeper.

As Anna held up her outfit, Mrs Hughes also gave a gentle smile.

She had refused to wear a wedding dress. She felt it inappropriate at her age. However, she had bought a pretty new pale cream blouse and matching skirt. The skirt was a modern style, quite fitted, and the blouse was short sleeved and tied with a bow at the neckline. She had some matching cream and pink roses for her bouquet and she would team her skirt with high-heeled court shoes. She hoped she would look womanly but not overdressed.

######

Mr Carson sat on the edge of his bed, feeling much calmer following his chat with Mr Bates. He knew he had a lot to learn about being a good husband but he also knew that he loved Mrs Hughes with all of his heart and he would do anything to make her happy. This thought brought him much joy as he rose and began to change into his wedding attire.

######

"Ok Elsie … if you just slip your dressing gown off and we'll put your skirt on first …" Mrs Patmore said happily.

Mrs Hughes did not reply and she did not move. She simply gazed at the floor. She felt the panic starting to take hold again and after a few seconds of trying to calm herself she finally looked up towards Anna and Mrs Patmore,

"I can't do this Beryl … I can't marry Mr Carson," she said sadly, her voice breaking with emotion.

Mrs Patmore and Anna gaped at her in disbelief.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

"Elsie … what do you mean you can't marry Mr Carson?" Mrs Patmore said, absolutely stunned.

"Exactly that Beryl … I need to talk to Mr Carson … I need to talk to Charles …" Mrs Hughes said clearly.

"Elsie … you cannot see the groom on the morning of your wedding … it is bad luck … you are just having a few wedding day jitters … everyone gets them …" Mrs Patmore said, her voice sounding more hysterical by the minute.

"Beryl there won't be a wedding if I don't speak to him …" Mrs Hughes stated.

The three women stood in shocked silence; Mrs Hughes was fidgeting with the cord on her dressing gown and pacing back and forth across the room.

"Elsie … please … what is this all about?" Mrs Patmore said, grasping her friend's hands in hers, in an attempt to still her.

"… I don't know how to be Mrs Carson Beryl … he deserves better … I don't think I will make a very good wife … and …" Mrs Hughes began.

"And what Elsie?" Mrs Patmore said sympathetically.

"Beryl … I don't even know if he loves me … how can I marry a man who has not told me that he loves me?" Mrs Hughes said sadly.

"Oh Elsie … it is as plain as the nose on your face that Mr Carson loves you …" Mrs Patmore reassured her.

"She's right Mrs Hughes … Mr Carson loves you very much … we can all see that …." Anna interjected.

"Then why has he not told me?" Mrs Hughes asked them both.

"Have you told him? Have you told him that you love him?" Mrs Patmore asked, knowing the answer.

"No I haven't …" Mrs Hughes said sheepishly.

"There you go then … and why have you not told him?" Mrs Patmore asked.

"Well … because … because … I don't know how he feels about me … I don't want to appear foolish if I am in love with him and he only sees me as a friend …" Mrs Hughes answered honestly.

"… and don't you think it is entirely possible that he has not told you how he feels for exactly the same reason …" Mrs Patmore responded. She could see the flicker of recognition on her friends face and hoped she was getting through to her.

" … I need to speak to him to find out …" Mrs Hughes said, as she surged past Anna and Mrs Patmore and headed for the door.

"Elsie wait!" Mrs Patmore said, as Anna gripped her arm to stop her from following Mrs Hughes.

"Let her go Mrs Patmore … she needs to sort this out for herself … " Anna said wisely.

Mrs Hughes climbed the stairs to the servant's floor. She knew Mr Carson would be in his room. She had to speak to him. As the morning had progressed she had felt panic starting to take hold. So many questions had run through her mind. Would she make a good wife? Did Mr Carson love her? She knew he cared for her. She knew she loved him. But she could not get rid of this niggling doubt inside her; she could not marry a man that did not love her. She had been foolish to think otherwise. She needed to know one way or the other. She may not be a young slip of a girl marrying her childhood sweetheart, but she needed to know that she was marrying for love.

She knocked on his door.

"Who is it?" he asked cheerfully.

"Charles it's me … Elsie …" she whispered, as she stood in the men's corridor in her dressing gown.

"Elsie … what on earth … you shouldn't be here … we aren't meant to see each other until the Church … not to mention the fact that you should not be in the men's corridor!" he replied from behind the closed door.

"… Charles just let me in! I need to speak to you …" Mrs Hughes said, growing a little impatient. The last thing she needed was for Thomas or Jimmy to walk along the corridor and find her standing in her dressing gown outside Mr Carson's door.

" … but Mrs Patmore said it would be bad luck for me to see you before the Church …" Mr Carson said adamantly.

"Well then cover your eyes with something so you can't see me … because if you don't let me in this minute … I am going to scream the house down!" Mrs Hughes cried, her Scottish fire coming forth.

From behind the door, Mr Carson gave his most exasperated look but he knew when she was serious – and when she was angry -and so he picked up the nearest thing to him and covered his eyes.

As she let herself into the room, her nerves on edge, she could not help but chuckle as she set eyes on Mr Carson. The most distinguished Butler of Downton was standing in the middle of the room with his bed sheet tied around his head, covering his eyes.

"Charles … what are you doing?" she laughed.

"You said to cover my eyes!" he said incredulously, as if this was the most normal situation in the world.

He does make me smile, Mrs Hughes thought merrily. However, she then remembered why she was here and she immediately felt her heart sink. Even Mr Carson, behind his blindfold, seemed to sense a change in atmosphere.

"Elsie … what's wrong?" he asked lovingly.

"I am scared Charles …" she began.

"Scared?" he asked.

"Scared that I won't be a very good wife …" she explained.

"Oh Elsie … no woman on earth could make a better wife …" he said truthfully.

"But you don't know that Charles … wives are supposed to obey their husbands … I doubt I'll ever do that … and I have a terrible temper … and I am very stubborn and too independent for my own good sometimes … and … and well I can't cook! I can't even boil an egg Charles … and at times … well at times you drive me absolutely mad with your old-fashioned and rigid ideas … and I know that I exasperate you … I know I do … what if we end up hating each other? I could not bear that …." she finished, despondently.

"Elsie … don't you think I am scared as well … I am terrified that I'll not be the husband you deserve … but I promise that I will spend the rest of my life doing everything in my power to make you happy … and as for you … yes you do exasperate me sometimes and you do have a temper and, heaven knows, I realise that you'll never obey me … and thank goodness for that … because I don't want some meek and mild wife who is too timid to stand up to me … I want you Elsie Hughes … and as for hating each other ... I could never hate you ... I love you …" he said sincerely.

"You love me?" Mrs Hughes whispered. She was frightened she had misunderstood. She gazed at her Butler, willing him to repeat his last words.

Mr Carson, his eyes still covered by his blindfold, faltered a little. He had not meant to say that. He knew how much he loved her but he had not meant to say that now. What if she was horrified? What if she only viewed him as a friend? Oh damn and blast, he thought, I love this woman with all of my heart and she needs to know that. So he reached out for her. He could not see her, obviously, but he knew she was close. Mrs Hughes took his hands tentatively in hers.

"I love you Elsie … I have always loved you … and I would be the happiest man alive if you would marry me today …" he said, his voice splintering with emotion.

Tears were streaming down the Housekeepers face as she beamed delightedly at her Butler. She squeezed his hands and replied,

"I love you too Charles … and I cannot wait to marry you."

She watched the broadest smile appear on his face as she stepped forward, wrapped her arms around his neck, and gave him the warmest hug. He enfolded her with his strong arms and held her to him for a long, lovely moment.

"Elsie …" he said softly, still holding her securely to his chest.

"Yes Charles?" she breathed happily, hugging her blindfolded Groom.

"Can you really not boil an egg?" he joked.

She swatted him on the arm as both dissolved into joyous laughter.

**A/N: Thank you very much for your continued kind reviews - please do keep reviewing x**


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

"You look an absolute vision Mrs Hughes … are you sure you don't want to marry a younger man?" Mr Branson said cheekily, as Mrs Hughes, Mrs Patmore and Anna made their way down the grand staircase into the hallway.

"I am sure Mr Branson … but thank you for the offer!" Mrs Hughes joked as she reached him.

Tom Branson was delighted when Mrs Hughes asked him to give her away. He viewed Mrs Hughes as a second mother; she had always looked after him both when he was chauffeur and now that he was a member of the family.

"Well in that case Mr Carson is a very lucky man indeed …" he said genuinely, as he took her arm to walk her to the car.

Mrs Hughes smiled blissfully, her nerves from earlier completely gone. He loves me; she thought happily, Charles Carson loves me. She had been so touched by his sentiments from earlier and she giggled as she thought of him wearing the sheet as a blindfold. She knew that it would take time for them to become accustomed to being married but she now looked forward to this next stage in her life with great excitement.

"Oh … one more thing before we get in the car …" Mrs Patmore said, as she fumbled about in her handbag, bringing out a hip flask and some tiny shot glasses.

"What have you got in there?" Mrs Hughes asked, as she pointed to the hip flask.

"Whisky … the finest Scottish whisky … I thought we needed a little toast before we head for the Church …" Mrs Patmore smiled.

As she poured them all a little shot of whisky, they all laughed together as they toasted Mrs Hughes and Mr Carson, wishing them a long, happy and healthy marriage.

######

Mr Carson sat at the front of the Church, alongside Mr Bates. The anticipation of marrying his bride was too much, he was quite overcome. He thought back to their conversation in his bedroom and beamed with happiness. She loves me, I cannot believe that she loves me, he thought. He had always known that she cared for him; heaven knows she had done so much over the years to support and care for him. However, it thrilled him to know that she felt such love for him. He chuckled as he thought of her diving into his arms and giving him the most heartfelt hug; he had held her tightly and could have embraced her in his arms forever. He blushed thinking about how firmly he had held her; far too closely than was proper before they were wed, particularly as they were in his bedroom at the time! But none of that mattered now and within the hour they would be wed and Mrs Hughes would become Mrs Carson at last.

######

"You look stunning Elsie …" Mrs Patmore said as they stood outside the Church, tears welling in her eyes. She was over the moon for her friend.

"You really do Mrs Hughes … Mr Carson may well faint when he sees you …" Anna added.

"Let's hope not … that would be a memorable start to the service …" Mrs Hughes jested.

"Right … we'll see you in there …." Mrs Patmore said, as she and Anna scurried into the church to take their seats.

Mr Carson was relieved to see them; he knew that his bride must be here too. As the wedding march began, the congregation stood, and Mrs Hughes began her walk down the aisle on Mr Branson's arm.

Mr Carson caught his first glimpse of his Bride and his heart filled with pride; she looked absolutely mesmerising. Mrs Hughes spotted her Groom and smiled broadly, giving him a little wink which made him chuckle; she loved him so much.

As she reached the front of the Church she took his hand and gave it a little squeeze. He bent his head and whispered,

"You look beautiful Elsie …"

"Thank you … and I see you took the blindfold off …" she smiled warmly.

"… well I didn't think it matched my suit …" he replied, as they both giggled knowingly before turning to face the Vicar, as the wedding service began.

######

"I pronounce you man and wife … you may now kiss the bride …" the Vicar said, grinning at the happy couple in front of him.

Mr Carson turned to his bride, smiling broadly but nerves overtaking him. They had only kissed tentatively on the lips over the last two days, before that it had simply been chaste kisses on the cheek. Would a kiss on the cheek suffice now? He really wanted to kiss his bride properly on the lips; those lovely rosy pink lips. He was very aware of all of the eyes watching him. He continued to smile at his new wife, all the while very aware that he did not want to embarrass her in front of the congregation. Oh dear, why am I such a fool? Just kiss your wife, for heaven's sake, Charles thought. Stop overthinking this!

The new Mrs Carson smiled up at her husband. She could see how nervous he was. They were not yet fully relaxed with each other when it came to sharing kisses; to being intimate with one another, and now they had the eyes of all of their friends, colleagues and acquaintances upon them. She continued to smile warmly at Charles, aware that he was a little flustered. He is so adorable she thought in that moment and I love him so much.

He gently moved his hands to her waist, holding her in a gentlemanly fashion. She responded by lightly resting her hands on his chest. He lowered his head as she reached upwards, both still beaming at each other, eyes locked on the one they loved. As their lips neared each other, there was a little fumble as their noses bumped together and they both had to re-adjust a little. This seemed to break the tension as they both giggled. Their friends in the church smiled too. Mr Carson brought his lips to hers, kissing her softly at first as she closed her eyes and enjoyed this embrace. Without being able to stop himself, he then deepened the kiss, as she glided her arms over his chest to reach around his neck. He moved his arms to her back as he held her tightly and for a moment he got quite carried away, raising one hand to tenderly cup her face as he kissed her soundly.

She was quite breathless as they broke apart, Mr Carson a little self-conscious that he had been so lost in this kiss. However, both felt absolute joy as they heard the congregation burst into spontaneous applause. Still holding each other tightly they turned to their friends, a little abashed but never happier. She wrapped her arms around his waist, resting happily against his chest, as Mr Carson kissed her hair. As the applause continued he whispered to his new bride,

"I love you Mrs Carson,"

She lifted her head from his chest, reached up to gently caress his face and gave him another innocent but meaningful kiss.

"I love you too Mr Carson," she smiled.

**A/N: Thank you so much for all of your amazing reviews. I look forward to hearing your thoughts as we follow this lovely couple through their retirement years x**


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

Mr and Mrs Carson settled themselves in the back seat of the car. Lord Grantham had insisted that they travel in style to their cottage, following the wedding reception. A large crowd of their friends and the Family had gathered on the drive in front of the House and whoops and cheers could be heard as the driver started the engine.

Mrs Patmore, Daisy and Anna threw confetti over the car as they beamed with happiness. As the car was about to move away, Mrs Patmore's voice rang loud and clear over the cheers,

"Enjoy your first night together! Don't do anything I wouldn't do Elsie!" she joked.

The newlyweds were suitably mortified, a blush appearing on both of their faces. Elsie laughed nervously as she looked towards Charles. He smiled weakly and coughed loudly to try to cover his embarrassment. Neither had allowed themselves to think about that today; 'that' being their first night together as man and wife. It was altogether too terrifying for either to contemplate.

Following their kiss in the Church, Elsie noted happily that Charles had become a little more tactile but only in the most chivalrous fashion. He rested a hand on the small of her back, as he guided her around the Great Hall to speak to their friends and he had held her hand as they listened to the speeches from Mr Bates and Mr Branson. Even as they sat comfortably in the car, he had placed his arm on the seat behind her and was gently stroking her shoulder. Although, following Mrs Patmore's comment she noticed his arm had moved nervously back to his side. There was an awkward atmosphere in the car and Elsie wanted things to return to the happy, light-heartedness of earlier in the day.

Charles was flummoxed following Mrs Patmore's comment. He hadn't worried about the wedding night at all until now. He hadn't needed to worry; until this morning he didn't know that Elsie loved him. Therefore, he had not wanted to presume that she would want to be intimate with him, as much as he might have wished for it. He coloured again at that thought. Just because she loves you Charles, it does not mean she wants to have that sort of relationship with you. He realised that many married couples of their age were happily married and loving, without sharing such affections. Oh dear god, he thought anxiously, how am I going to know if she wants that or not? I certainly cannot ask her; can I? And surely it is for me to make the first move, to take the lead. However, he loved Elsie too much to act in a boorish or uncouth manner; what if she is disgusted by my advances?

The uncomfortable silence continued as the car made its way to their cottage. Elsie realised that she needed to do something to restore calm. She rested her hand softly on his thigh and said,

"It has been a wonderful day Charles … just perfect."

Charles paused before responding; her hand gently resting on his thigh was quite distracting and certainly was not helping divert his thoughts about their first night together. He somehow managed to stutter,

"It … it has indeed Elsie … I have never felt happier."

Elsie smiled blissfully, realising she had never felt such joy either. Charles gazed at his wife; thinking how beautiful she was. He had felt so old lately. He knew he had slowed and was no longer the vibrant young man of his youth. Yet, when he was with Elsie none of that seemed to matter. She made him feel young again. He replaced his arm along the back of the seat as he resumed gently caressing her shoulder. They both settled back in their seats feeling very content and Elsie continued to lightly stroke his thigh. Charles kissed her hair as she leaned into his side.

######

They had arrived at the cottage and had just finished unloading all of their wedding gifts from the car. They had both been glad of this task, as it had allowed them to keep busy and to forget any nerves about later. It was late evening now and once again the atmosphere suddenly felt very tense.

"Right ... umm … well that's that job done … shall we … I mean … shall I … umm … make us a cup of tea?" Elsie stumbled.

"Yes … yes … that would be lovely …" Charles replied.

Both very relieved to have a little breather, to gather their thoughts.

"Good … right … why don't you sit down in the living room and I will bring it through?" Elsie said kindly.

"Oh … yes … thank you …" Charles replied.

Elsie made her way through to the kitchen, where she covered her face with her hands. Oh my goodness, this is mortifying. Why are we both so nervous? Elsie realised she had never been so anxious. She loved Charles with all of her heart but it had been so long- decades in fact – since she has even kissed another man let alone been intimate in any way. Did Charles want that? She was almost sure he did. She may be inexperienced but she could see the way Charles had looked at her over the last few weeks. However, she also knew Charles was the most gallant man and he would be wary of making unwanted advances. However, Elsie thought, despite how scared I feel, they wouldn't be unwanted; not at all in fact. Elsie blushed again. She knew she wanted Charles; was that unseemly at her age? Would he think her too forward for having such feelings? Just the thought of sharing the same bed as Charles made her feel a little flustered. She had slept on her own for such a long time.

Charles sat on the edge of the settee in the living room. He could not settle; he felt so restless. He paced about the living room for a bit, wringing his hands together. It had been so long since he had been intimate with a woman. Yet, none of his fumbling dalliances of his youth compared to what he had with Elsie. He was madly in love with her and she meant more to him than any other person on this earth. He cherished and respected her; he would hate to upset her by being too audacious. Yet he could not deny that he wanted her; there was no doubt at all about that. He had spent so many nights dreaming of her; dreaming of being with Elsie. He had sat beside her at breakfast on many mornings, embarrassed that he'd had such illicit dreams about her the previous night. Somehow, before they were married, he had managed to keep control of these thoughts but since the Church, his desire for her seemed to have been set free. Charles then shook his head at this thought; what would Elsie think if she knew that I was feeling like this?

Elsie had set a tray for their tea; she noticed how her hands were shaking as she placed the cups and saucers on the tray. She felt like a young girl again; as nervous as if this was a first outing with a new love. Yet, it was in a way. They had never been alone like this before. Of course, they had spent many hours in each other's company at Downton and their nightly routine when they shared a sherry or a glass of wine was her most cherished moment of the day. However, they were now truly alone together for the first time in their lives and what's more, they did not have to get up early tomorrow to start a new day. They were retired and were now entirely in control of every minute of their lives and she hoped they would have many years together. Goodness Elsie, she thought, you need to get through the next few minutes rather than thinking ahead to the coming years. Just then, Charles came into the kitchen,

"I thought I should come and help you …" he said. He could not settle in the living room and so he thought he might be more use in here.

"Oh thank you … if you want to carry this tray into the living room … I'll bring some biscuits …" she replied.

As she handed Charles the tray their hands touched for a fleeting moment. They both smiled nervously at each other before Elsie quickly stepped back, away from this gentle touch.

"Right ... let's go through to the living room …" she managed. She could feel a hot flush overtaking her body.

Charles too, was feeling very flustered. They both turned to walk out of the kitchen; Charles was in front with the tray. Suddenly, without warning, Charles stopped. Elsie almost walked straight into him. He turned to face her and swiftly deposited the tray on the kitchen table. He took a deep breath and said,

"Elsie … may I kiss you?"

Elsie was quite stunned by this change of direction.

"Umm … yes of course … I mean ... you don't need to ask Charles … we are married now … you can kiss me whenever you want … well ... I mean within reason … obviously not when we are in company … or at Church … but when we are at home … I mean … well I am not sure what I mean …" Elsie stammered.

Charles smiled happily at her. It was nice to see the unflappable Elsie Hughes completely flustered. He smiled lovingly at her as she returned his smile. She realised this was so unlike her, to be in such a tizzy over the promise of a kiss. She shook her head at her herself, all the while smiling anxiously at Charles.

"Here … let me take those …" Charles said as he took the plate of biscuits out of her hand and placed them on the table with the tea try.

"I am so nervous Charles …" she admitted.

"Me too …" he replied honestly.

Elsie laughed at that, biting her lip at the ridiculousness of the pair. They knew each other so well and yet they had so much to learn about each other.

Charles stepped forward and slipped his arms around her waist. She reached up, holding his face in both hands. He brought his lips to hers and began to kiss his bride; gently at first but within seconds he had deepened his kiss and was holding her tightly as his hands ran up and down her back, with one settling on her bottom and squeezing this firmly. This made Elsie giggle against his mouth; her esteemed Butler had never placed his hand there before. Charles smiled against her mouth too as he continued to kiss her and they both relaxed into this wonderful embrace. Elsie's arms wound securely around his neck as she kissed back with a passion she had withheld until now. Charles was kissing her with such desire, that he pushed her backwards against the table, and the plate of biscuits went tumbling to the floor.

"Oooh there goes the biscuits ..." Elsie said smiling.

"I didn't want tea anyway … did you?" Charles asked, a blissful smile on his face as Elsie shook her head lightly and pressed herself more firmly against her husband. Charles gave a contented murmur as he looked forward to something much sweeter than tea and biscuits.

**A/N: Thank you once again for all of your wonderful reviews- they are a pleasure to read x**


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

"I am so sorry Elsie …" Charles mumbled as he finally pulled apart from their kiss. His breathing had hastened, his cheeks reddened and his hair was ruffled.

"There is nothing to be sorry about Charles …" Elsie reassured him, as they now stood a foot apart in the kitchen, both trying to regulate their breathing.

Elsie too was flustered; her heart rate had certainly stepped up a notch. The kiss had been wonderful. She had no idea Charles had such passion within him. However, as she gazed at her lovely Groom; she could see that he was embarrassed; in fact he looked almost ashamed. Oh please do not let's return to the awkward atmosphere of earlier, that would never do, she thought sadly.

"Oh but there is Elsie … what must you think of me … losing control like that … I virtually leapt on you!" he said regretfully.

Charles was furious with himself. He respected Elsie too much to act in such a forward manner. Goodness, he blushed inwardly, I could have almost … right here in the kitchen … I could have almost …..

"Charles … you did not leap on me! Heavens above, we are married … we are allowed to get caught up in the moment if the fancy takes us …." she said plainly.

"You didn't mind me … well … ummm …. embracing you like that?" Charles asked worriedly.

"No … I did not … you silly old fool!" she replied cheekily.

Charles immediately relaxed on hearing this insult, said in the warmest Scottish tones. Perhaps he hadn't ruined things after all.

"Less of the old thank you very much Mrs Carson …" he smiled.

"Ahh … we are both quite old … let's face it Charles … nothing to be ashamed of … don't tell me your back isn't aching after standing on this hard stone floor for so long …" she teased.

"As it happens … I was too distracted by a beautiful woman to notice my backache …" he flirted, whilst grasping her around the waist again and pulling her too him. Elsie giggled happily, resting her hands on his chest, and then gave him a serious look …

"Do you think we are too old for all of this Charles? Joking aside … you do have a bad back … and my right leg gets a little stiff sometimes when I sit down for too long …" she laughed. Charles chuckled too and joined in her gentle mocking.

"Not to mention the arthritis I have in my shoulder … and didn't you say your eyesight had recently got worse?" he asked good-humouredly.

"I did yes … a right pair we make!" she smiled.

"It does seem like we might be falling apart at the seams … but in answer to your earlier question …" he jested and then paused, losing his nerve again. Elsie looked at him hopefully. He gathered himself and said …

" … I don't think you can ever be too old for … umm … too old for …" he stumbled again.

"For what Charles?" she teased, knowing full well what he meant. She deliberately ran her hands up his chest to rest on his shoulders, her face so close to his.

Charles shook his head and bit his lip. This woman will be the death of me, he thought happily. Well, two can play at that game …

"For this …" Charles said, as he scooped her up in his arms.

"Charles … put me down … you'll hurt your back …" Elsie squealed, pretending to be shocked by his advances but in reality, she was truly delighted.

######

The pair had pushed their nerves to one side as they reached the bedroom. Elsie was still anxious that she wouldn't be able to please him; she was out of practice and she just hoped she did not make a complete fool of herself. She also knew her body was not what it was in her youth; she had put on a few pounds, had a few more wrinkles and she was less pert than before. Yet she would have had to be blind not to notice the way Charles looked at her; the way he desired her. He hasn't seen you naked yet Elsie, she thought nervously, so don't be flattered by his attentions when you are fully clothed. She then immediately blushed at that thought, it did not seem right somehow that her Butler, Charles Carson, was going to see her naked. They had been friends for so long this seemed unreal somehow. Yet, there was no denying that she wanted this; that she wanted him.

Charles had recovered from his 'wobble' in the kitchen. He had panicked thinking he might have come on too strong and he was worried he might have scared her. That was the last thing he would want. Yet to his utter amazement, she seemed very happy with his advances, in fact she had kissed him as ardently as he had kissed her. He was still anxious. He hoped that he could take his time; he wanted to cherish this moment, to cherish Elsie and not to rush things at the detriment of her enjoyment and pleasure. He was delighted that things had moved so swiftly since the kitchen. He could not believe that he was married to this woman and that they were in their own bedroom, in their very own cottage, about to make love.

He had carried her upstairs. It had made him feel so manly; to be carrying his new wife to their bed. Despite her protests to put her down, he wouldn't hear of it and only lowered her to the floor as they had reached their room. He had felt a couple of twinges in his back on the way upstairs but he certainly did not want to admit that to Elsie. They had joked about getting old but he wanted to at least give the impression of being young and vibrant even if just for one night.

Their kisses were becoming more amorous as he pushed Elsie backwards so that the back of legs rested against the bed. She had already made light work of his jacket and his tie and was now unbuttoning his shirt with impressive speed. Once all of the buttons were free, she stretched her arms around his neck and ran her hands through his hair, pressing hard against his chest as she kissed him with complete love and devotion. His hands roamed all over her back, up to her shoulders and then down to her bottom, enjoying the feel of her womanly body beneath her clothes. He began to unbutton her blouse as she moaned against his mouth. He became frustrated when he could not get the buttons undone. She smiled against his mouth and whispered,

"Just rip it open Charles … rip it open …"

Charles smiled excitedly and did just that, buttons flying everywhere; her brassiere now on show, prompting a low moan from him. She held tightly to his neck as he began to push her backwards towards the bed, inclining until she was lying on the crisp linen sheets. Charles then leaned over her; he was desperate to feel his body against hers again. As he tilted forward he suddenly let out a loud cry.

"Ohhhh! My back Elsie … my back has seized …" he howled. He was literally stuck in the position he had found himself in, leaning forward, with Elsie still lying on the bed beneath his large frame.

"Oh my … what shall I do? How can I help?" she asked.

"Try to straighten me … please … I seem to be stuck in this position …" Charles explained, as he remained bent-double.

Elsie shuffled along the bed on her back, from her place underneath him. She could not help but giggle at the absurdity of this situation.

"Elsie it's not funny!" Charles wailed, as he heard her soft chuckle.

"I am sorry Charles … but it is a little bit funny …" Elsie replied, as even her husband had the good grace to laugh a little.

"Can you help straighten me up?" he said pleadingly. He really was in terrible pain.

They somehow managed to adjust him so he was standing almost straight. However, he was still in considerable pain as his whole back went into spasm. Elsie guided him to the bed and he managed to sit on the edge and swing his legs around so that he was lying flat.

"Oh that's better …" he said, as the pain eased considerably as he settled against the pillows.

The heat-fuelled passion of earlier had all but disappeared.

"I will go and get you a hot-water bottle for your back …" Elsie said tenderly, shaking her head ruefully, a resigned smile on her face. This was just their luck; just when they had both got over their initial nerves, this had to happen.

As she reached the door to the hallway he called across the room,

"Elsie I am so sorry … I have ruined our first night together …" he said remorsefully.

"Nothing to be sorry about Charles …" she began, giving her husband the most radiant smile, and then said, "… we have waited over 20 years and so we can certainly wait one more night!"

They both broke out into laughter, releasing all of the tension that had been building throughout the day.

"We really do make a right pair!" Elsie smiled.

"We certainly do ... and I wouldn't have it any other way" he replied cheerfully.


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

He woke to find his beautiful Elsie in his arms. He had never seen a more lovely sight. Her face was snuggled into his side as her arm was draped across his chest. She was still sleeping soundly as he gently held her more closely to him and kissed her forehead lightly and reverently. He could not take his eyes from her, from every inch of her. He had never seen her in a nightgown before. Even when they had been woken in the middle of the night with some emergency or other, propriety meant that she always wore a dressing gown. He realised that their life together was going to be full of many firsts.

The nightgown she was wearing was very appealing, he was almost sure that she would never have worn such pretty night attire at Downton, this gown looked special, chosen he would wager, especially for their wedding night. He winced at that thought, she had made such an effort for everything to be perfect for their first night together, and he had gone and ruined that with his old, achy body. As he lay back against the pillows he could feel that his back was still sore, although it had certainly eased since the previous evening. He was distracted from his thoughts by a restless Elsie, who was slowly waking from her slumber. He watched lovingly as her eyes fluttered open and she became aware of where she was and whom she was with.

"Umm … good morning Charles …" she said sleepily, still not fully awake.

"Good morning Elsie …" he said, reaching down to give her a little peck on her nose.

She smiled lazily, so happy to have woken in her husband's arms.

"How are you feeling Charles?" she asked, sitting up a little and stroking his chest leisurely.

"My back feels a lot better thank you … Elsie … I am so sorry … I feel such an old fool … ruining our first night together … you must think me decrepit and old …" he said sadly.

"Charles Carson I will hear no such thing … you are far, far from decrepit … goodness … until your back seized … you were as vigorous and agile as any man I have ever met … you quite took my breath away …" she said truthfully, with a broad smile, wanting to build her man's confidence.

He was still lying back on the pillows but he reached up, cupping her face in his hand, and kissed her soundly, wanting to demonstrate his love and desire for her.

"Umm … lovely … but don't you get any ideas Charles Carson … you need to rest that back of yours until you are fighting fit again … and then we can continue where we left off …" she said, eyes twinkling.

Charles felt a rush of energy to various parts of his body, his back might not be working properly but his others parts were in full working order, he thought gratefully.

Elsie continued to smile down at her man. She could see that look in his eyes again. They may not have actually took the next step last night but she was more than thrilled that she knew without doubt that he wanted to, that he wanted her.

"I love you so much Elsie … and you are so beautiful …" he said sincerely, tracing his hand along her bare shoulder and then following the thin strap of her nightgown down to her ….

"Charles!" she shrieked happily.

He smiled mischievously at her. Oh my goodness, I would love to right now but we can't, we must wait, she thought sensibly.

"Now … you lie there and rest and I am going to make some breakfast … I'll bring it up here for us …" she smiled.

He smiled in return but then groaned as she leant back, away from his touch, to get out of bed.

"There'll be plenty of time for all that my lovely man … but for now … you must rest … so clear your mind of any other thoughts …" she said fondly, shaking her head happily at her man. She had never seen this side of Charles before and she must admit she loved it.

He grinned in return, thinking she would think him a scoundrel, if she truly did know the thoughts that were currently running through his mind.

" ... my back really does feel better Elsie …" he tried, maybe she would come back to bed right now.

She looked at him sceptically, "Ummm … let's give it a little while longer … I'll bring some liniment up as well and I can rub some onto your back …" she said innocently only to be met by a long, hoarse moan from her husband.

"Honestly Charles!" she smiled delightedly.

######

They had eaten breakfast and were both resting in their bed, cuddled together.

"This is so lovely Charles … I could lie like this all day …" she said sincerely.

"Me too Elsie … and to think I will get to wake up with you every morning for the rest of my life … I don't know what I have done to be so blessed …" he said adoringly.

"It feels so indulgent … I mean … not just lying here with you … which is perfect …" she said, pausing to give him a sweet kiss, "… but lying in bed so late … we would normally have been up several hours by now … we would normally be in the middle of our working day …"

"… umm … I know … it is quite a peculiar feeling not to have your whole day mapped out for you … we can do whatever we want, when we want … " he breathed happily, kissing his wife once again and this time, deepening the kiss as he pulled her down onto his chest.

"Charles … " she said, as she ran her fingers through his unruly hair. He could see she was suddenly a little hesitant.

"What is it Elsie?" he asked.

" … we may not have to work today … but ... well I sort of promised … I know I shouldn't have … but Beryl has a cake stall at the village fundraiser today … I said we would pop by to support her … she is raising funds for the veterans charity … you know how much it means to her … after she lost her nephew … and William …" Elsie said, tentatively.

Charles smiled at his wife tenderly. There was not a kinder woman on this earth, he thought joyfully. She was still looking at him hesitantly. He reached up to caress her face.

"Elsie … of course we should go and support Beryl … just help me out of this bed and then we can head off …" he said cheerfully.

"Oh thank you Charles …" she said relieved. I do have a lovely husband, she thought happily, and she gave him a long thank you kiss as a reward.

######

"Oh … I wasn't sure you two would make it … thank you so much for coming …" Beryl cried as she hugged Elsie closely and smiled at Charles.

"We wouldn't have missed it Beryl …" Charles said, as he smiled at his wife and her best friend. His back had been a little stiff as he had gotten out of bed but the walk into the village seemed to have helped, and he was now feeling almost as good as new.

"Did you enjoy your evening?" Beryl asked, looking knowingly at Elsie.

"It was quite wonderful …" Elsie answered, to Beryl's delight. Charles smiled at her gratefully.

"Now … I know you have a sweet tooth Charles … which cake are you going to buy?" Beryl asked.

As Charles looked at the rows of scrumptious cakes in front of him, Beryl was called to serve another customer. He gazed at his wonderful bride, despite his sweet tooth she was a far more tempting sight than any of the cakes. She smiled up at him, biting her lip. He slid his arm around her waist and pulled her snugly to his side. He quickly glanced around to ensure no one was watching them and then he stole a delightful kiss.

"Charles … we are in public!" she smiled, yet wasn't able to stop herself from reaching up and kissing him back. He murmured softly as he got lost in her beautiful blue eyes.

"Let's go home Elsie … please let's go home …" he breathed, bussing her cheek lightly. She smiled knowingly, as she caught his gaze; he had that look again.

"But Beryl still has so many cakes to sell … we should stay and help her …" she said practically, even though she wanted to get back home just as much as he did.

"What if I buy all of the cakes … could we go home then?" he said, flustered. Now that he had allowed himself to think of being alone with Elsie in their cottage, in their bed, he found himself unable to think of anything else.

"Well if she sold all of her cakes then I suppose there would be no reason for us not to go home … but there are about 20 cakes still left Charles …" she said, giggling.

"I don't care if there are one hundred cakes … Beryl!" he cried joyously, reaching for his wallet, as Elsie covered her face with her hands in embarrassed glee.

**A/N: Thank you for your reviews- they make me smile and help me to keep writing. Your patience will be rewarded in the next chapter! x**


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

They were about 100 yards from the cottage, having stopped several times along the way to have a lovely kiss. Charles held Elsie's hand as they walked swiftly. Elsie smiled excitedly as their pace quickened, biting her lip in anticipation of what was to come.

"Charles … slow down … for heaven's sake … I cannot possible keep up with your long strides …" Elsie laughed, as she was being dragged along by her giant of a Butler.

"Oh I am sorry Elsie … I forget sometimes …" he smiled, feeling a little ashamed.

She could see how eager he was and the thought thrilled her. He looked quite disappointed to have slowed down in this dash to get home. She had an idea.

"Oh for goodness sake … why don't we run?" she said, a twinkle in her eyes.

"Run?" he said, quite amazed.

"Yes Charles … run!" she said, as she picked up her pace and ran ahead of him.

Charles looked flabbergasted, as well as overjoyed, as he realised she was serious, and he began to chase after her.

######

They had reached the cottage and both stood, out of breath, in the hallway. Elsie had her hands on her hips as she tried to catch her breath.

"Maybe running wasn't such a good idea … I don't think I have run like that for at least three decades …" she smiled breathlessly.

"Were you some sort of Olympic runner in your youth Elsie … good lord … when you ran off … I couldn't catch you …" he chuckled, resting against the wall, hoping his breathing would even out eventually.

She laughed too, "We really must remember how old we are Charles … we keep doing ourselves an injury just as we are about to …" she paused, wondering how on earth she could finish that sentence in a ladylike manner.

"When we are about to what Elsie?" he smiled cheekily. He loved it when she was on the back foot, it so rarely happened.

"When we are about to … to … to read our books in front of the fire Charles … why else would we be running home?" she teased.

"That's what I thought you meant … nothing like a good book in front of the fire …" he said dryly.

She smiled cheekily as she took off her hat and coat, hanging them on the peg on the wall. He took off his coat as well.

"Right then … I will go and choose my book …" she said, turning to walk into the living room. For a split second, Charles panicked. She doesn't seriously want to read a book, he thought worriedly. But then she turned to face him, an alluring smile on her face.

"Unless you can think of something else we could do …" she breathed.

"Oh I can think of something my sweetheart …" he said with a naughty grin, as he approached her slowly, encircling her waist with his arms. She reached her arms around his neck and smiled temptingly up at him.

"And does it involve books Charles?" she asked innocently.

"No books …" he whispered as his mouth came crashing down on her lips.

They were lost in the most passionate embrace. Both overwhelmed with lust for each other. For a fleeting moment Elsie wondered if this was unseemly, to desire another in such a way at their age. However, she speedily pushed that thought out of her mind, realising that anything that felt this good could not possibly be wrong. Charles pressed her up against the wall, his hands out of control as they traced every inch of her body and his lips biting and sucking her neck as he whispered sweet nothings in between kisses. The soft moans he was eliciting from her, almost made him fall over the edge, right there in the hallway. He suddenly pulled back to look at her, breathless.

"You make me happier than I ever dared dream … I love you so much Elsie," he smiled.

"I love you too Charles … now … let's go to bed … and I am walking up the stairs this time …" she jested, as she gave him a brief kiss on the lips. He smiled lovingly at her as she took his hand and led him upstairs.

They reached the bedroom and for a moment they simply stood gazing at each other with utter love.

They then set about removing each other's clothes at a frantic pace, laughing and giggling at themselves as they did so. Elsie was speedier; she had Charles' jacket, tie and shirt off in rapid time and was already undoing his belt.

"How do you do that?" Charles asked, astounded at how deftly she was removing his clothes. He had only undone two buttons on her blouse.

"Years of practice …" she smiled sassily.

When Charles looked shocked, she added,

"As a Ladies Maid of course, dressing and undressing many grand ladies …"

"Thank goodness for that!" he joked.

He had finally removed her blouse, as he gazed happily at her chest, encased in the most beautiful silk brassiere. He knew these were the latest in fashion and this was one change he did not mind in the least. He pulled her to him again, enjoying the silk pressed up against his bare chest. They kissed furiously for a few minutes until Elsie pulled back, eager to finish undoing his belt.

"How's your back?" she asked jokingly.

"Never better … and your leg?" he replied.

"My leg is just fine …" she murmured and she removed his belt and began to work at his trousers.

He was catching up with her, having loosened her skirt. It dropped to the floor. He let out a long, husky moan as Elsie now stood in just her silk bra and knickers. She didn't even have time to feel self-conscious as Charles continued to cover her in kisses; his hands running wild. He cupped her bottom with both hands, massaging the silk and the beautiful soft skin underneath. She ran her hands up and down his front, loving the feel of his broad chest. Their kisses were becoming more frantic. Charles began to push her backwards towards the bed as his trousers finally started to fall down his legs. As they fell around his ankles, they hampered his movement and he tripped, as both tumbled onto the bed. They both fell about laughing as Charles tried to shake the blasted trousers from his ankles.

"Here, let me …" Elsie giggled, as she reached down and pulled his trousers off his legs. She tossed them half way across the room. They were now both in just their underwear.

"Well, we've got one step further than last time …" he laughed happily.

She smiled and took his face in both hands and kissed him hungrily. They both rolled on the bed, Charles settling on top, pressing her into the mattress. She could not have dreamed how good it would feel to have his weight upon her. It was a peculiar feeling to desire him as she did, he had been her dear friend for so many years. However, as she ran her hands all over his back and wrapped her legs around his waist, she was certain that she had never wanted anyone more in her entire life.

Her Butler obviously reciprocated her desire as he declared his love for her over and over again as he nuzzled her neck and breasts, kissing and caressing his best friend and love with a passion he thought he no longer possessed. Charles was mesmerised by her, his lust for her overwhelmed him as he gripped her thighs strongly, and crushed her lips with his.

As they writhed on the bed and the last of their clothing was removed, neither had ever felt such joy. They kissed and caressed, exploring each other's bodies with such care and passion, both learning what excited the other, where their most sensitive areas were. As they both reached the crest of their lovemaking, they held tightly to one another, falling over the edge together and gasping each other's name; broad smiles on their faces as they collapsed in a sated and happy heap.

As they lay entangled on the bed, and their breathing calmed, neither could find words; both were utterly spent. Elsie lifted her hand to gently stroke his face, the warmest smile on her face. Charles kissed her hand softly, mirroring her radiant smile. They held hands as they drifted off into a blissful and contented sleep.

**A/N: Thank you for your reviews as always x**


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

As the early morning sun shone through the curtains in their bedroom, both started to wake from their contented sleep. Elsie purred as she stretched her arm across his chest. Charles wrapped her up in the most loving hug.

"Morning Elsie …" he whispered into her hair.

"Morning Charles …. umm …." Elsie murmured, not yet able to form a coherent sentence.

Charles smiled quite smugly; thrilled to have been the cause of Elsie's sated bliss.

As he held her naked body to his, and traced gentle patterns on her back, Elsie suddenly began to blush. In the midst of their passion the previous evening she had abandoned any anxieties about her body, about being intimate with Charles. However, now, in the cold light of day, she felt quite exposed. Not to mention the feel of his naked body against hers, which she had only just registered. She sprang backwards, sitting up in bed, covering herself with the bed sheet.

"Elsie what's wrong?" Charles asked.

"We are naked Charles … we are both naked …" she said, in a mock whisper.

Charles chuckled at that.

"Of course we are naked Elsie … we are in bed … we are married … and we made love …" he said warmly, his cheeks also reddening a little at that last statement.

"I know … but … well … I am just not used to being naked in front of you … or seeing you naked for that matter … it just feels a little … a little …. revealing …" she explained.

He sat up in bed and smiled lovingly at her.

"… well it feels rather wonderful to me …" he teased gently.

She giggled at that, shaking her head gently.

"… I am nearly sixty Charles … I don't have the body I once did … you might not think me quite so wonderful in the harsh light of day …" she said worriedly.

"Elsie … you could not be more beautiful to me … you are perfect … and believe me I know … because I made sure to kiss every inch of you last night …" he smiled cheekily, winking at her.

She bit her lip and smiled but then asked, "You are not just saying that Charles?"

"Elsie … my god … did you not see me last night … I have never wanted anyone more in my life … I almost exploded … I cannot take my eyes off you … it's me that should feel insecure … with this rackety old frame …" he joked.

She leaned forward to kiss him on the lips, "You could not be more handsome my man … and your frame is quite exquisite …" she beamed.

"Exquisite eh?" he jested.

"Don't go getting big-headed now …" she jested in return.

"Now … may I give my beautiful wife a lovely cuddle?" he asked.

"A cuddle would be perfect Charles …" she said as she snuggled into his warm chest.

######

"Remind me again why we had to get out of bed and dressed?" Charles asked perplexed, as he looked across to his wife in the kitchen.

After their morning cuddle, they had enjoyed a hearty breakfast downstairs. Charles then hoped they would fall back into bed, as far as he was concerned there was no sound reason to ever leave their bed again.

"Charles … what if someone should visit us ... we cannot have them finding us in bed …" she whispered.

"Well I wasn't planning on answering the door … we could just ignore them …" he said smiling, reaching out to grasp her.

She squealed as he pulled her to him, secretly delighted that her new husband was proving so attentive. The irony did not escape her either, it seemed that she had become the sensible one in this marriage, her husband was demonstrating a devil-may-care attitude that she had never witnessed before.

They kissed for a long, lovely moment. She then recognised a certain look in his eyes.

"Hold that thought until later Charles … I must hang this washing on the line …" she smiled, as she pulled away from his grasp.

She bent to pick up the washing basket and Charles gave a long groan.

"Charles!" she laughed.

"Sorry … sorry Elsie …" he said, a little ashamed but he soon felt better when she reached up and gave him the sweetest kiss.

He was acting like a complete scoundrel and he knew it. He didn't know quite what had come over him. It had taken twenty years for him to kiss Elsie on the cheek but now they were married, he could not seem to stop thinking about her, about it. He smiled broadly as he watched her walk out to the garden at the back of their cottage; she gave him a loving smile as she went. She was wearing a pretty summer dress that clung to her body in all of the right places. She could never have worn such a dress at Downton, where she always had to be dressed smartly in black or other dark colours. Her hair was also different, she had allowed some hair to fall down to her shoulders, and it was much freer than her normal fixed style. She is a vision, Charles thought, as he watched her happily through the kitchen window. His eyes running all over her body; he took a deep breath as he suddenly felt his temperature rising, willing himself to calm down.

Elsie could feel his eyes on her. This would take some getting used to, she thought happily. She was not used to being desired by Charles. They had spent twenty years dancing around each other, acting as good friends and colleagues and nothing more. Not even a hint of anything more in fact. But now, well he only had to touch her and she turned to jelly. He really was quite something. Who would have thought that Mr Carson, the esteemed Butler of Downton, was capable of such unbridled passion, she thought. She had pulled herself away from him just moments earlier but as she pegged up the last of the clothes on the line, she was feeling a little hot and bothered herself. Heavens, it wasn't even lunchtime yet. Could they really?

As she walked back into the kitchen, she was met by her man. He looked so different in his casual shirt and trousers. There was no formal jacket, waistcoat or tie. He looked like a different person. He looked like her Charles rather than Mr Carson the Butler. She could feel her cheeks flush as she looked at him. He was gazing adoringly at her; in fact he had not taken his eyes off her since she had walked back in from the garden.

Charles then became aware that he was staring and he started to cough uncontrollably. He didn't want Elsie to think he had a one-track mind but he also knew that if he stayed in the same room as her he would not be able to remain a gentleman.

"Elsie … I am going to … umm … read a book in the sitting room …" he stumbled, as he walked through to the hallway.

He is adorable when he is flustered. Oh for goodness sake Elsie, put the man out of his misery, you know you want to, she thought mischievously.

"Charles …" she called, catching up with him in the hallway.

"Yes?" he said, an octave or two higher than normal.

She reached her arms around his neck and kissed him, "Let's go to bed ..."

"Oh ye gods yes …" he cried as he wrapped his arms around her waist and picked her up, clear off the ground.

She wound her arms more tightly around him, running her hands through his hair, enjoying mussing it as she sucked and bit his lips. His arms were holding her tightly to his chest as he kissed her ravenously. As he lowered her to the floor, his body reacted immediately to the feel of his wife, sliding down his front. He held her face in his hands as he pushed her back against the bannister and devoured her lips.

"We should … oh Charles … go upstairs …" she breathed between kisses.

"No time Elsie … oh god … I'll not last … I need you … now …" he said, an urgency in his voice. She understood perfectly as she felt the same burning need.

He ripped open the top buttons of her dress, and her heaving breasts spilled out. Charles covered her breasts in kisses, nuzzling and biting as he ground up against her. She managed to undo the buttons of his shirt, in between furious kisses, removing it and throwing it behind her on the floor as he pushed her backwards into the sitting room and onto the settee. He bunched her dress, fondling her thighs and cupping her bottom in his hands and he pulled down her underwear in one smooth movement. As his body crushed against her on the settee she murmured in pleasure, and dug her nails into his strong back. She was overcome by lust; last night had been passionate but slow as they had explored each other's bodies for the first time; this was frenzied and wanton as both needed release. Charles hitched her dress around her waist as he fumbled to undo his trousers. Elsie was moaning in pleasure.

Suddenly, there was a knock at the door. Charles and Elsie stilled for a second, shocked and still panting as they locked eyes with each other. Charles rested his forehead on hers,

"Ignore it Elsie … whoever it is … they'll go away … ignore it please … I love you … oh Elsie … I need you …" he begged as he began to kiss his wife frantically once again.

She kissed him back with just as much vigour, arching her back to press hard against him and trying to supress her cries. He had finally managed to undo his trousers. There was a second knock.

"Oh damn and blast ... ignore them Charles … don't stop … please don't stop ..." she pleaded. Her husband smiled roguishly down at her. They continued to kiss wildly. However, they paused in horror when they heard voices; voices that sounded very much like they were in their hallway,

"They must have gone out Mrs Patmore …"

"It seems so Milady … let's just leave the parcel in the sitting room and we can pop back to see them later …"

Charles, lying half-naked on top of Elsie on the settee, looked at his wife in sheer panic. She returned his terrified gaze as they both froze, unable to think what to do now.

**A/N: Please do keep reviewing and thank you for all of your wonderful feedback so far x**


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

"Get up, get up Charles! They are coming in here …" Elsie said, nearing hysteria as she heard Lady Mary and Mrs Patmore's voices from the hallway.

Charles clambered off Elsie, his trousers falling to his knees. He hurriedly pulled them up as Elsie tried to desperately straighten out her dress.

"My shirt … oh god … it's in the hallway," Charles shrieked.

"Get behind the settee …" Elsie demanded, she knew they only had seconds left.

"What?" Charles asked, flabbergasted.

"Now Charles … hide!" she ordered.

No sooner had he crouched behind the sofa, then the door to the sitting room opened and in walked Mrs Patmore and Lady Mary.

"Elsie! We thought you must be out …" Mrs Patmore said, surprised to see her friend.

Elsie gave a light chuckle as she tried to sound calm, "Oh no … I was just having a lie-down on the couch … I must have dozed off … I didn't hear you knock … I am sorry …"

Elsie was trying to subtly straighten down her hair to look a little more presentable in front of Beryl and Lady Mary.

"Oh not to worry … I hope you don't mind me using the key … I still had it from when we were getting the cottage ready and I wanted to drop this parcel off … it came this morning … I presume it's another wedding gift …" Beryl explained.

"Oh how lovely … thank you Beryl … and it's very nice to see you Lady Mary …" Elsie added.

"Thank you Mrs Hughes ... I mean Mrs Carson ... Anna happened to mention that Mrs Patmore was coming to see you this morning and so I thought I would tag along … I didn't really get a chance to speak to you and Mr Carson at the wedding … and truth be told … I was missing you both …" Lady Mary smiled.

"That is very kind of you Ma'am …" Elsie replied, her breathing had at least calmed.

"Talking about the wedding … where is Charles?" Beryl asked.

Oh dear god, Elsie thought, I have always been hopeless at lying.

"Charles … oh yes … of course … Charles …" she stuttered.

"He hasn't done a runner has he?" Beryl joked. Elsie forced a strained laugh.

"No … no … of course not … I am afraid you've just missed him … he had to pop into the village for something … " she explained.

" … and you thought you would take the chance for a little nap whilst he was out … wearing you out is he?" Beryl joked.

Elsie looked flabbergasted. This was not the kind of conversation to be having with Lady Mary in the room. She knew Charles would be appalled. However, Lady Mary looked thrilled at the suggestion.

"Something like that … " she joked half-heartedly in return. Charles' eyebrows shot upwards in disbelief as he continued to hide.

Both Mrs Patmore and Lady Mary chuckled happily with Elsie.

"Oh where are my manners … please do sit down … can I get you both some tea? And some cake? We have plenty …" Elsie smiled, thinking of the many cakes stacked up in the kitchen following yesterday's race for home.

"Tea and cake would be lovely …" Lady Mary replied.

Elsie directed them to the settee nearest the door, the one she had been 'dozing' on, Charles was still hidden behind the settee under the bay window.

Charles could not believe she had invited them for tea; how long did she think he could crouch behind the sofa? He shook his head as he realised that he was shirtless, in a very agitated state, hiding behind a settee with Lady Mary in the room! Just two days of wedded bliss and he had abandoned all the formality and protocols he had adopted for over thirty years at Downton; and very happy he was too, he thought smiling.

As Elsie reached the hallway, she let out the breath she had been holding since they arrived. She started to giggle, she couldn't help it, realising that she and Charles must have lost their minds to take such a risk. She giggled further when she thought of Charles still crouching behind the sofa. She blushed as she noticed his shirt discarded on the floor, she could only hope that her guests hadn't noticed this. She picked it up and headed to the kitchen.

######

"So how is married life Mrs Carson?" Lady Mary asked, as she placed her tea cup back on the side table.

"It is quite lovely Lady Mary … it will no doubt take us a bit of getting used to … but so far it is going very well indeed …" Elsie beamed, her smile being matched by the retired Butler behind the couch.

"And is old Charlie keeping you quite content Elsie?" Beryl said cheekily.

"Beryl honestly! Apologies Lady Mary … Beryl is very naughty sometimes …" Elsie blushed, staring at Beryl and willing her to hold her tongue.

"Ah … you are amongst friends Elsie … come on now … is your Butler living up to everything you had hoped?" Beryl teased.

From behind the sofa, Charles had to stop himself from groaning in embarrassment.

"Don't worry Mrs Carson I won't say a word …" Lady Mary added mischievously. Both Elsie and Charles looked astonished but Elsie realised she would have to answer Beryl's question or she would never hear the end of it.

"My Butler … is everything I could hope for and more …" Elsie replied happily. Charles beamed with pride.

"I knew it … I am so happy for you Elsie …. and here's you doubting whether he loved you or not …" Beryl smiled, shaking her head at such a ridiculous notion.

"You surely did not doubt that … I have never seen a man more in love …" Lady Mary added.

"Oh she did … right up until the morning of the wedding … she was so anxious that he only wanted a companion … he had never told her that he loved her you see …" Beryl explained.

"He proposed to you without telling you that he loved you?" Lady Mary asked, surprise in her voice.

Elsie was starting to squirm now. She was obviously aware that Charles was hearing every word. She had never shared her doubts about this with Charles. She hadn't needed to. When she had spoken to him on the morning of their wedding, she had shared her worries about not being a good wife but then he told her that he loved her, so she hadn't needed to say anything more. She had been so thrilled that he loved her.

Charles felt dreadful as he sat behind the settee. What an idiot I am, he thought regretfully. He knew she was having doubts when she had spoken to him in his bedroom that morning but he thought they were simply doubts about silly things like not being able to cook. He thought she had known how much he loved her. It seemed so obvious to him that he had foolishly thought it was obvious to her as well. It broke his heart to hear she had doubted his love.

"Yes Lady Mary … Charles asked me to retire with him and then he asked me to marry him … there was no mention of love … however I had not told Charles that I loved him at that point either and so we were both to blame …" Elsie answered truthfully.

"But you have told each other now?" Lady Mary asked.

"Oh yes … of course … we love each other very much Lady Mary … and I have never been happier …." Elsie said, a radiant smile on her face.

Charles smiled delightedly behind the settee, feeling both relieved and blessed.

Lady Mary and Mrs Patmore smiled happily too.

"Well … I wonder where that husband of yours has got to … you said he had gone into the village to get something … what was it he needed?" Beryl asked innocently.

"He needed … umm … he needed to … buy some wood …." she stumbled.

Charles covered his mouth with his hand to stop himself laughing out loud. His wife really was a terrible liar. He could not wait to see where she was going with this.

"Some wood?" Beryl asked, perplexed.

"Yes … yes … he wants to build … to build … a bird table … that's it … he wants to build a bird table … " she said happily.

She was sure she heard a snort from behind the settee and so she coughed loudly to cover this.

"I didn't know Mr Carson was interested in birds …" Beryl said, amused.

"No … neither did I … but he is a bit of a bird spotter as it happens … you find out all sorts of things when you marry someone …" Elsie continued, she was quite enjoying this now. Charles rolled his eyes behind the couch.

"Indeed you do … well I think we should be getting back to the House Mrs Patmore … thank you so much for the tea Mrs Carson … and please do give Mr Carson our kind regards …" Lady Mary smiled.

"Oh I certainly will Lady Mary … and please do visit us again …" Elsie said, relieved that this awkward situation was almost over. Somehow, they had managed to get away with not being found out.

The women were saying their goodbyes to Elsie as they walked through to the hallway when Beryl remembered something,

"Oh Elsie … I almost forgot … I think I left my keys here when we were hanging those curtains in the sitting room … I meant to check … I'll just pop through and see if they are on the windowsill where I left them …" Beryl said, walking past Elsie as she headed back into the room.

"Oh … umm … Beryl … I could bring those over to the House for you …" Elsie tried, but knew she was too late.

Elsie smiled at Lady Mary and held her breath for the Cook to return. She knew that Beryl could not fail to spot Charles as the settee was underneath the windowsill. Elsie cringed as Beryl came back through to the hallway; the smuggest and most delighted expression on her face.

"Found them!" she exclaimed, holding her keys in the air and smiling knowingly at Elsie.

Elsie gulped, she couldn't speak. She was blushing from head to toe.

"Lovely to see you Elsie … you enjoy your little nap … and you never know … once Mr Carson has finished with his bird table … he might like to join you … " Beryl said cheerfully, and then with the widest smile imaginable, kissed Elsie on the cheek and whispered in her ear, "… I won't say a word …"

Elsie gave a mortified chuckle, said goodbye to both ladies and then closed the door behind them. She collapsed in a fit of laughter against the door, as her half-naked husband walked through to join her, an expression of utter astonishment on his face.

"Beryl saw me!" he exclaimed.

"I know ... I'll never hear the end of it ..." Elsie grinned, holding her hands to her face.

"A bird spotter!" he cried, as Elsie screeched with laughter again and he burst into chuckles too.

He embraced her in a warm hug and said, "It's a good job I love you so much Elsie Carson …" and as he held her snugly, he added, " … and I am so sorry you ever had cause to doubt that."

"Well I don't doubt it anymore my love," she replied dotingly as she rested on his chest and finally relaxed.


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18

"Elsie … we need to hurry or we'll be late …" Charles shouted to his wife.

"Charles Carson … it is only quarter past seven and you know as well as I do that the Servant's Ball only begins at eight o'clock … we have plenty of time …" Elsie said exasperated, as she joined him downstairs.

Charles had been tetchy all day. She presumed it was something to do with returning to Downton for the first time since they had retired a week ago. The last week had been bliss as she and Charles grew accustomed to living together. She had seen a new side to Charles; a relaxed, happy and passionate side that she loved very much. However, the thought of going back to Downton had made him revert to his old ways.

"I do not want to be late that is all … it was very kind of Lord Grantham to ask us to the ball … it would be rude to be late …" he replied.

"Indeed it would and I don't intend to be late … however I also don't intend to be thirty minutes early either … please calm down Charles … this evening should be enjoyable not stressful …" she said as warmly as she could muster, although he was starting to infuriate her.

"I am calm …" he replied crankily.

That was it. She gave him her most ferocious stare. She was not accepting this poor attitude any longer. Her glare had an instant effect, seemingly snapping Charles immediately out of his mood.

"I am sorry Elsie … I know I am being a little grumpy … " he apologised.

"A little? You are being downright maddening … what on earth is the matter?" she asked.

"I don't know really … it just seems strange I suppose … going back to Downton as guests rather than as servants … I feel quite anxious ..." he explained.

"Charles … we have only been left a week … and we are going to the Servants Ball … not some illustrious meal with the Dowager Countess … it will be the same as always … except we'll not have to worry about the guests and … we will actually get to dance together …" she smiled, reaching out for his hand and giving it a gentle squeeze.

Charles smiled and kissed his wife on the cheek.

"I look forward to it Elsie," he said happily.

######

"Mrs Carson, may I have this dance?" Lord Grantham asked with a broad smile.

"I would be delighted Milord," Elsie replied.

She, of course, had always been the first to dance with Lord Grantham at the Servants Ball. However, that honour was now reserved for the new Housekeeper, Mrs Bigley. Elsie watched from the side of the dance floor as Lord Grantham danced with her replacement. It was an odd feeling, Elsie thought. She was not jealous, far from it, and Mrs Bigley seemed a lovely woman. However, it did feel like the end of an era. Elsie had been very happy at Downton and she was very proud of the position she had held. When she was growing up in Argyle, she could never have dreamed she would one day be the Housekeeper of such a grand house. She also never dreamed that she would meet the love of her life at Downton but she certainly had. Elsie smiled at Charles as she danced with Lord Grantham. He was enjoying a glass of wine as he talked to Anna and Mr Bates.

As the dance came to an end, Elsie thanked Lord Grantham and then returned to her husband.

"Charles … please go and ask Beryl to dance …" Elsie said.

"Oh Elsie … do I have to? I would rather dance with you …" he said. He still felt quite agitated about being a guest at this Ball; he would have preferred to be working. However, he knew that a dance with Elsie would calm him. They had only managed two dances so far as all of their friends were eager to catch up with them.

"Yes of course you do … she is our friend and she hasn't had one dance yet … go on …" Elsie said.

"… I know she is … but the last time she saw me I was half-naked and hidden behind a sofa …" Charles explained.

"… well all the more reason to ask her to dance … get the embarrassment over with so we can put that little episode behind us …" she smiled. She was thankful that they had been intimate many times since that incident without any interruptions. Charles dutifully walked over to the Cook.

Elsie watched the pair dance. She could see Beryl smiling from ear to ear whilst Charles was looking suitably mortified. Beryl was obviously teasing her husband but Charles was smiling through his embarrassment and so Elsie knew it couldn't be too bad. As Elsie enjoyed watching the dance, Dr Clarkson joined her.

"Mrs Carson … how are you? It is lovely to see you and Mr Carson here tonight …" Dr Clarkson said happily.

"I am well Dr Clarkson … very well thank you … we are very glad to be here …." she replied.

"Would you care to dance?" he asked.

"Oh yes … that would be lovely …" she replied.

As Dr Clarkson and Elsie stepped onto the dance floor, Charles continued to dance with Beryl. He watched his wife closely as the doctor twirled her with glee. He knew he was being ridiculous but he felt quite unnerved watching Dr Clarkson hold his wife so closely. Goodness Charles, he thought, Elsie will murder you for having such a thought. He had always enjoyed the Servants Ball. However, he realised, he had only ever had to watch Elsie dancing with His Lordship. After she had opened the dancing with Lord Grantham every year, she normally then focused on looking after the guests. She rarely ever danced again. Charles had wanted to ask her to dance of course but he knew this would be viewed as improper. He smiled thinking of all of the improper things they had got up to in the last week! He could not wait to be at home again with Elsie; despite Downton being his home for thirty years, he no longer felt comfortable here. He was neither a proper guest nor a servant. His home was with Elsie and he could not be happier.

Charles and Beryl finished their dance and stepped to the side to get another drink. Elsie began a second dance with Dr Clarkson. Charles and Beryl were joined by Lady Mary and Mr Branson, and enjoyed a pleasant conversation. Charles continued to glance at his wife. She did look beautiful tonight. He realised with great shame that he had not told her how lovely she looked, as he had been in such a panic as they left the cottage for the Ball. It was lovely to see Elsie in something other than her traditional black dress. She was wearing a very attractive blue gown which made her eyes look even bluer than normal. Tom Branson smiled as he noticed Charles gazing lovingly at his wife,

"Mrs Carson is looking particularly lovely tonight Mr Carson … you'll have to keep an eye on that doctor … he seems very taken with her …" he joked.

Charles smiled and tried to laugh at Mr Branson's teasing but he was getting more and more irritated with Dr Clarkson. They were onto their third dance now. Charles noted that the doctor had not taken his eyes off Elsie and he was currently laughing delightedly at something she had said. Charles wondered if it would be appropriate to cut in, however just at that moment the song came to an end and his wife and her dancing partner headed across the floor to where Charles was standing with Beryl, Lady Mary and Mr Branson.

"Good evening Mr Carson," the doctor said.

"Good evening Dr Clarkson," Charles replied stiffly.

"I hope you didn't mind me stealing a dance with your beautiful wife," Dr Clarkson said smoothly, smiling at Elsie.

Elsie smiled modestly at this compliment. Charles stared testily at the doctor.

"Not at all Dr Clarkson. I didn't mind you stealing _a _dance with my wife ... I just did not expect you to steal 3 dances ..." Charles responded, laughing lightly to suggest he was joking but it was obvious to all present that he was not joking at all.

"Charles!" Elsie said, shocked by her husband's rudeness.

"Oh not at all Mrs Carson ... your husband is quite right ... it was very greedy of me to dance with you for so long ... I just could not resist ... you are quite the dancer ..." Dr Clarkson flirted, beaming at Elsie as she blushed at this further compliment from the doctor.

Charles was ready to explode and he grunted in disapproval whilst moving to stand even closer to Elsie, hoping to send a message loud and clear to Dr Clarkson that Elsie was well and truly spoken for.

"Was there something else we could help you with Dr Clarkson?" Charles asked tersely, hoping the doctor would leave them in peace.

"Heavens Charles ... I do apologise Dr Clarkson ... my husband seems to have left his manners back at the cottage ..." she said, scowling at Charles.

Charles knew he had overstepped the mark and he knew that Elsie would be furious with him but he couldn't seem to stop himself. Elsie was his everything and he could not stand to see another man so openly flattering and flirting with her.

As Elsie stared at her husband, she had expected him to apologise. She was astounded to see him simply stand silently, glaring at the doctor, with a defiant expression on his face. Mr Branson, Lady Mary and Beryl also looked suitably shocked; they had never seen this jealous, prickly Mr Carson.

"You have nothing at all to apologise for Mrs Carson ... thank you once again for the dance ... " Dr Clarkson said kindly, smiling at Elsie and deliberately ignoring Charles.

"It was my pleasure Dr Clarkson ..." she replied, as the doctor walked back across the dance floor.

The only thing that stopped Elsie tearing into Charles immediately was the fact that they were standing with the others, she would have to save her fury for later. Charles misread her calm, thinking everything was fine.

"Shall we dance Elsie?" he asked warmly.

"No thank you Charles ..." she simmered.

Charles winced at her formal tone realising he was well and truly in trouble. The atmosphere had become very brittle and Beryl was the first to try to break the tension.

"Why don't I go and get us some more drinks?" she said smiling, as she darted off to the drinks table.

"I'll go and help Mrs Patmore," said Tom as he scuttled off as well. That only left the newly married couple and Lady Mary. Suddenly, Lady Mary spotted Lord Craven nearby and she struck on what she thought was an excellent idea to stimulate conversation.

"Lord Craven do join us ... as it happens you and Mr Carson have something in common ..." Lady Mary said, relieved to have found a distraction.

"Good Evening to you all ... and what is it we have in common Mr Carson?" he asked happily.

"I am not sure Sir ..." Charles answered honestly, looking to Lady Mary for help. He glanced at Elsie also but she looked like she wanted to kill him rather than help him.

"You are both bird enthusiasts ... Mr Carson enjoys bird-spotting too ... isn't that right Mr Carson?" Lady Mary said, genuinely thinking she was helping the situation.

Charles began to cough and splutter loudly. Elsie suddenly looked much happier; gleefully enjoying this turn of events.

"That's right Milady ... although I am a little out of practice ..." Charles offered.

"Nonsense old chap ... once a bird-spotter always a bird-spotter ..." Lord Craven said excitedly.

"Indeed Lord Craven ... he's just being modest ... there is nothing Charles enjoys more than talking about birds ... Lady Mary ... shall we leave these two in peace?" Elsie said cheerfully.

As Lady Mary and Elsie went to join Beryl and Tom, Charles shook his head lightly at his wife. He knew this was the least he deserved but that did not make this any easier.

"So Mr Carson ... I am a great fan of the Bullfinch ... how about you?" Lord Craven began, as Charles gave him a resigned smile.

######

"Elsie please ... I am very sorry ... I know I behaved appallingly ..." Charles acknowledged as they entered the cottage.

Lord Craven had given the couple a ride home and therefore Elsie had been forced to be polite until now. However, as his car drove away, Elsie stormed ahead into the cottage.

"Elsie please ..." Charles pleaded. She turned to face him, fury on her face.

"Charles Carson your behaviour this evening was beyond appalling ... and I cannot even begin to explain how angry I am ... therefore I suggest we go to bed and discuss this in the morning ... as I may say something I regret if we discuss this now ..." she said angrily, although Charles noticed that she had tears in her eyes. He was devastated that he was the cause of those tears.

"I love you Elsie," he called after her, as he heard the bedroom door slam shut.

**A/N: Thank you for continuing to read this story and for all of your wonderful reviews x**


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19

Charles woke, a sleepy smile on his face. However, last night's events flashed through his mind and the smile soon disappeared. He looked across to Elsie who was still sleeping. At least he presumed she was asleep, she had her back to him so he could not be sure. She had not said a word to him when he had come to bed and there had been none of their usual cuddles before bedtime. It had taken him a long time to get to sleep. He felt dreadful about last night, although if he was honest he was not sorry about what he had said to Doctor Clarkson; Charles still felt the doctor had stepped way over the line, flirting with a married woman like that. However, Charles felt terrible that he had upset and embarrassed Elsie as well as making Lady Mary, Mr Branson and Mrs Patmore feel awkward. He now had to find a way to put things right.

Elsie heard Charles stir but she remained facing away from him. She had been awake for hours and she'd had a fitful night's sleep. She had run the events of the previous night over and over in her mind. She was still furious with Charles. However, she knew that she had to share some of the blame; she should not have danced with Dr Clarkson three times. She had not intended to but the doctor seemed to be missing Isobel and so she did not like to refuse when he asked her for another dance and then another. However she had not expected him to be such a flirt. Anyway, despite that misjudgement on her part, that in no way excused Charles' petulant behaviour. She was embarrassed that she had allowed herself to get teary. She had been so upset with him and her emotions had come to the surface. It was so unlike her; she was normally steely and in control. She simply did not enjoy fighting with Charles as she once did; gentle bickering was fine but this was much more than that. He had embarrassed her in front of their friends and she was hurt that he seemed to think she was open to Dr Clarkson's flirting.

"Elsie … are you awake?" Charles said nervously from his side of the bed.

There was no answer; Charles concluded that she was either asleep or ignoring him. Either way he was not going to make any progress just yet. Therefore, he got out of bed as quietly as possible, and made his way downstairs. Should he make her breakfast? He was worried she might throw it back at him. He could do without being covered in cereal and eggs! He then realised what he must do, as he went back upstairs and quickly got dressed.

######

Elsie knew she could no longer hide; they needed to discuss this. She dragged herself out of bed and went downstairs to join Charles. She presumed he would be in the kitchen. Yet as she reached the kitchen he was not there. She quickly walked back to the sitting room. He was not there either. There was no sign of him anywhere; he had obviously gone out. Her heart fluttered slightly; hoping that he was ok. It was not like him to go out without telling her.

She made her way back to the kitchen to make breakfast. A couple of slices of toast would suffice and a nice cup of tea. The restorative qualities of a cup of tea could not be overestimated; she immediately began to feel much better. Elsie eventually heard the latch on the front door open. Charles tentatively walked through to the kitchen.

"Good morning Elsie," he said solemnly.

"Good morning Charles," she replied, as she continued to sip her tea.

"These are for you …" he said hesitantly, as he handed her a bunch of her favourite flowers, bluebells.

"Thank you," Elsie replied. That was a start, Charles thought ruefully, at least she did not lob them back at me!

The atmosphere was thick with tension. They were both being civil to each other but there was none of their usual warmth. Charles knew he needed to say something, he just did not know where to start. For goodness sake man, he thought, throw yourself on your sword and say you are sorry. He took a deep breath and decided he would try to get it all out in one go,

"I apologise for my behaviour last night Elsie … I know I upset and embarrassed you … and I know I made Lady Mary, Mr Branson and Beryl feel awkward … I spoke very rudely to Dr Clarkson … my only explanation is that I was very annoyed with him … I admit it ... I was jealous ... I did not enjoy seeing him holding you so closely or flirting with you as he did … he did not act properly in my opinion and ... I was already feeling uncomfortable at the Ball … however I would never want you to feel embarrassed or ashamed to be my wife and therefore I went to see Dr Clarkson this morning and I apologised … he accepted my apology … and I only hope that you will do the same …"

He decided it might be a good time to pause, as he let out a long breath. Elsie gazed at him in shocked wonder as he prostrated himself. He had surprised her. He was normally exceptionally stubborn and rarely admitted when he was wrong. She had lost count of the number of little squabbles and fights they had had over the years at Downton and he rarely conceded to her. She had never seen him so humble, and there was she all ready to lose her temper with him! There was no way she could do that now, as he stood in front of her like a lost puppy. He looked so fretful, so timid. Therefore, she did the very opposite of what she had thought she would do; she apologised as well. Perhaps marriage had changed them both.

"Charles … please sit down … and please do not look so worried … " she began, as Charles sat down at the table with her. He visibly began to calm as she took his hands in hers.

" … I am sorry too … I should not have danced with Dr Clarkson for so long … however there is no excuse for the way you spoke to him … I have never heard you speak so rudely to anyone … and why on earth were you jealous? You had nothing to be jealous of … I certainly hope you are not suggesting that I was somehow receptive to his charms …" she continued.

"Oh no Elsie … not at all … but … well if I am honest ... it did cross my mind that ... that you might be wondering why you had saddled yourself with this old, creaky Butler when you could have been a doctor's wife …" Charles said sadly.

"Charles Carson I have never heard such nonsense! Firstly, you are not old or creaky … heavens you have proved in the last week you have the energy of a much younger man …" Elsie said teasingly.

Charles could not help but smile at that. He had been amazed with his own stamina over the last week. He found himself strutting like a peacock whenever he thought of their exertions.

" … and secondly I love you with all of my heart and there will never be another man for me … no man could ever compete with you Charles … and thirdly … even if you had not asked me to marry you … I would never have become a doctor's wife as I am not attracted to Doctor Clarkson in the least … and I am sure he would say the same about me … honestly Charles … were you really worried about that?" she finished, amazement in her voice.

"Not at first … at first I just felt uncomfortable with him holding you so closely … and then when you continued to dance I watched you laughing together … and then he called you beautiful and said you were quite a dancer … he was flirting with you right in front of me Elsie … I did not know I was capable of such jealousy …" he stuttered.

"Oh Charles … what am I going to do with you?" Elsie smiled.

"I could think of one or two things …" he joked, his eyebrows wiggling. Elsie pretended to look shocked.

She moved to sit on his knee, and stroked his face lovingly.

"I must say … I was ready for you to tear a strip off me … I did not expect you to quite so calm …" he said honestly.

"You thought you would see the old Scottish dragon in full force?" she asked.

Charles nodded.

"To be honest … I thought you would too … I was so mad at you last night … but you looked so sad when you came home from the Village … I did not have the heart to roar at you … I'll save that for another time …" she joked.

Charles chuckled as he hugged his wife to him.

"… I hated being at odds with you Elsie … I never want to fight with you again … I thought I had ruined things between us …" he said.

"Oh Charles … all married couples fight … and let's face it … you and I will probably fight more than most … neither of us are the easy-going, passive types! However … you have no need to ever be jealous Charles … I love you and you make me so happy … so let's have none of that green-eyed monster ever again …" she said seriously.

"I promise Elsie … " he replied.

"Of course you know the best bit about fighting …" she said, as she stood and grasped his hand, pulling him out of the chair.

"There's a best bit?" he asked.

"Oh yes … the best bit is the making up afterwards …" she teased, as she pulled him towards the stairs.

He turned her in his arms and kissed her with total love and devotion. Somehow, the tension of the last day added an exhilarating edge to this kiss. Relief flooded through their bodies and both were eager to show the other how much they loved and needed them. For a long, lovely moment, Charles kissed Elsie, his hands tracing every contour of her beautiful, curvaceous body. She pulled his shirt from his trousers, running her hands underneath to feel the warmth of his chest and back. There was an intensity to this embrace, both offering themselves to the other. Finally, Elsie broke from the kiss, gave Charles a mischievous smile and made her way upstairs. She turned to smile at her lovely man and shouted,

"Don't forget to bolt the door!"


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter 20

Elsie was amazed at how easily they had settled into a routine. After years of waking at the crack of dawn, working right through until the early hours and never having a spare second to themselves, she was delighted that she and Charles had managed the transition to retirement and a slower pace of life with such ease. She knew it was early days but so far so good. She watched Charles pottering in the garden through the kitchen window, he had taken to his new hobby with glee. Beryl had bought them some gardening tools for their wedding gift, thinking it might be something they would like to do together, and although Elsie was not quite as keen, Charles was enjoying tending to his vegetable patch, trimming the roses and planting new flowers.

"Would you like a cup of tea Charles or do you want to stay out there?" Elsie shouted to him.

"A cup of tea would be lovely Elsie … " he said smiling, as he turned to walk back inside.

She smiled happily at her man; he was a creature of habit and so she knew he would go straight to the sink, to wash his hands thoroughly, he would then hang up his gardening shirt and change into a new fresh shirt which he had already placed on the peg in the kitchen before he'd begun. Elsie loved this little ritual; she did not even try to hide her gaze as she watched him change shirts. She noted happily that, as it was a warm day, he had not worn a vest. He might be in his sixties now but she could still see the muscles in his upper arms and chest as he changed. Elsie Carson, she thought to herself, it is unseemly for you to be staring at his chest in such a wanton way. He smiled as he caught her eye, as he finished fastening his buttons. He walked over to kiss her lightly on the lips.

"Elsie Carson what on earth are you looking at …." he teased.

"You would get far too big-headed if I told you …" she said dreamily, although she could not resist opening one button on his shirt and slipping her hand inside. She loved the feel of his smooth, warm chest under her hand; she ran her fingers through the hair on his chest, caressing him tenderly. Charles groaned loudly as his body reacted to her touch. He instinctively gripped her bottom as he enjoyed her attentions. She continued to enjoy herself for a delicious moment, undoing one more button so she could fondle his chest with two hands, as he rested his head on her hair and enjoyed being spoiled.

"Good lord … I am sorry Charles … I don't know what came over me … let's have some tea …" she said flustered.

"Don't apologise Elsie … I was enjoying that …" he breathed happily, as he wrapped her up in a loving hug.

"So was I … and that's why we must stop … I have promised Mrs Crawley I'll help her with the preparations for the village fete … and therefore I cannot get distracted this morning …" she smiled.

Elsie was still not used to the effect Charles had on her. She wondered if she would ever feel at ease with all of these new feelings bubbling away inside her. Of course she had always been attracted to Charles but she had spent the last twenty years suppressing these feelings. However, the dam was well and truly open now and she found herself thinking of Charles in the most inappropriate places. She wondered if this was normal; did all women feel like this about their husbands? Charles certainly seemed very happy with her openness and it was still he who instigated most of their intimate encounters although, when she thought about it, she knew she had increasingly become more and more direct. She looked up at Charles, who was still holding her, and gave him a warm smile. He kissed the top of her head and then loosened his grasp.

"So Mrs Crawley is back then?" Charles asked, as he sat down at the kitchen table.

"She is … she got back a couple of days ago … it seems to have done her the world of good … visiting her old friends in Manchester … although the city brought back many memories of Matthew and so it was difficult for her at times …" Elsie explained.

"I don't think a parent ever recovers from losing a son …" Charles added.

"I agree … it is heart-breaking for her … however she likes to throw herself into a good cause … and so the village fete has come at an opportune time … and of course she was delighted to see Dr Clarkson again …" Elsie smiled.

"Elsie Carson are you suggesting there is something going on between those two?" Charles asked.

"Ooh it is not for me to say … but I wouldn't be surprised if something developed there …" she finished, as she placed the teapot and the cups and saucers on the table.

"You mean that you want something to develop there … you are an old romantic deep down aren't you?" he teased.

"Less of the old thank you Charles … but yes I admit it … I would be delighted for Mrs Crawley to find love with the doctor … they do say autumn love is the best type of love you know …" she said happily.

"Do they now? Well they would be right …" he said joyously, reaching across to kiss his wife.

"Oh … I almost forgot … the post came when you were in the garden …" Elsie said, reaching over to the counter and giving Charles a letter addressed to him.

She watched as Charles stared at the letter for a moment and then placed it on the table unopened. He looked up at Elsie and smiled.

"Aren't you going to open that?" she asked.

"Not just yet … first I want to kiss my wife again …" he said, changing the subject and successfully distracting Elsie as he pulled her onto his lap and kissed her deeply.

######

"I'm home Charles … where are you?" Elsie shouted as she came through the front door, having returned from Mrs Crawley's.

"I am upstairs Elsie … in the bathroom putting those shelves up for you …" he said proudly.

Charles had never had to do such a thing before. However, he found he enjoyed the challenge. He had planned how to put these two small shelves on the wall for days, measuring, aligning, and measuring again. Elsie smiled to herself as she walked into the kitchen. He was becoming quite the handyman! She had suggested he ask Mr Brown, the village craftsman, to help him but he was having none of it, he wanted to do it himself. As she put a couple of bags of shopping on the counter, she noticed that letter again. It was still unopened. He could not have simply forgotten it, he had obviously moved it from the table to the counter, but why had he not opened it? She was trying not to pry … she had got herself into all sorts of trouble the last time she read one of his letters, she smiled thinking of Charlie Grigg and how that had all ended happily, but there was no way she could open this.

It seemed peculiar that he had not opened it. Perhaps he had recognised the writing and did not want to read it, she thought. Perhaps it is from an old girlfriend? Elsie's heart skipped a beat at that thought. Could it be from a past love who wanted to rekindle her passionate affair with Charles? Elsie shook her head, wondering why she was torturing herself in this way. It definitely looked like a woman's handwriting. Oh dear, she had to know now, this would never do, a married couple could not have secrets. How would she ask him? That problem was taken out of her hands when Charles entered the kitchen and found her with the letter in her hand.

"Oh Charles … there you are … I wasn't going to read this ... of course not ... I was just wondering ... why you hadn't opened the letter … it might be important …" she stuttered, feeling guilty to have been caught out.

"It won't be …" he said wearily.

"How do you know?" she asked.

"I know … because it's from my sister … well my half-sister in fact …" Charles explained.

"I didn't even know you had a sister … in all of the years we have known each other you have never mentioned her …" she said, truly surprised.

"We don't really keep in touch … we never got on … she doesn't get on with most people if truth be told … she must be in her late seventies now … she's a horrid woman Elsie …" he said matter-of-factly.

"Charles … you cannot speak of your sister like that …" she said, flabbergasted.

"It's true Elsie … she really is dreadful … goodness knows why she is writing to me now …" he added.

"Well there is only one way to find out … open it Charles …" she said, handing him the letter.

He sighed and did as she asked. He read in silence for a few seconds and then put the letter back in the envelope without a word. Elsie rolled her eyes, would she really have to drag this out of him?

"Well?" she asked impatiently.

Charles looked at his wife, a pained expression on his face.

"She wants to come and visit …" he said.

"Oh … well that's nice isn't it?" Elsie tried.

Charles looked at her with what could only be described as terror in his eyes. The woman surely could not be that bad, Elsie thought; could she?

**A/N: Thank you to everyone who is reading this story, as well as to those who have left reviews and supported the story on tumblr. You are very kind x**


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter 21

"So let me get this straight … she's his half-sister?" Beryl asked, as the best friends enjoyed a cup of tea in Elsie's sitting room.

"Yes … Charles's mum was widowed before she married Charles's father. She had previously been married to a local businessman called Sidney … and they had a daughter, Muriel …." Elsie explained.

"So she must be quite a bit older than Charles?" Beryl asked.

"Yes, she's in her late seventies … she was 14 when her mother married Jack … they had a son together a couple of years later, Charles …" Elsie explained.

"So Charles and Muriel have the same mother but different fathers …" Beryl clarified.

"Yes, and Muriel had left home when Charles was born so he didn't know her well at all … she was seemingly very bitter that Charles took her mother's attention away from her … and I suppose she must have still been grieving the loss of her father … anyway … Charles and Muriel barely speak … that's why he has never mentioned her …" Elsie was quite exhausted having to explain all of this to Beryl, it had taken her all of her time to drag this information from a reluctant Charles.

"And he said she is horrid?" Beryl asked warily.

"That's what he said … he said she does not have a nice word to say about anyone …" Elsie said worriedly.

"And despite that …. you have invited her to stay …" Beryl said, shaking her head.

"Well she's an old woman Beryl … and she asked to visit … we couldn't say no could we?" Elsie reasoned.

"Oh you certainly could have … it doesn't sound like Charles was keen to have her visit …" Beryl said correctly.

Elsie bit her lip and shook her head.

"No … he didn't want her to visit …" she added.

"But you pushed him into it … you are a kind soul Elsie Carson … even if I do think you must be mad sometimes …" Beryl smiled at her friend.

A wave of nerves overcame Elsie again; surely this woman could not be as bad as all that?

######

"Her train arrives in 3 hours and fifteen minutes …" Charles said, like the prophet of doom.

"Charles … must you really do a countdown to your sisters arrival … honestly …" Elsie said.

"Elsie … don't say I didn't warn you … just remember than I love you dearly and she'll only be with us for 3 nights …" he said ominously.

"Charles is she really that bad?" Elsie said, amazed by his negativity about his sister.

"Elsie … how many times do I have to tell you … she is really that bad … she is hard-faced … and rude … and downright nasty …." he further explained.

"Well … maybe she has mellowed with age … you haven't seen her in years … and she did ask to visit … that's a positive sign isn't it?" Elsie asked, trying to remain optimistic.

"I suppose so … and I do appreciate all of the effort you have gone to … the house and the guest room look wonderful and the larder is stocked with enough food for ten people …" Charles said, kissing his wife on the cheek.

She reached up and hugged him tightly, her arms gripping his neck. She needed reassurance. She was hoping that Charles was exaggerating; he did have a tendency for the melodramatic.

"Just please give her the benefit of the doubt Charles … don't just assume the worst … give her a chance …" Elsie asked him.

He knew that his wife was the patron saint of lost causes, there was always someone she was helping and he smiled thinking that Elsie genuinely hoped she could bring some sort of reconciliation between him and his sister.

"I will Elsie … but you just remember … you are my family now … and I could not be happier …" he beamed, as he kissed fully on the lips.

######

Elsie and Charles walked to the train station together, linking arms. They had hired a taxi for the journey back to the cottage as they were not sure if Muriel, and her husband Harold, would be able to walk that far. Despite all of Charles' warnings, Elsie was actually very excited to meet his sister.

Elsie and Charles had been married a month now and Muriel and her husband would be their first house guests. She was thrilled that Charles had some family left that she could meet. She felt like a proper married couple now that they were welcoming his family to their home. It had also given her an excuse to decorate what was now the guest bedroom. This was a small room but they had managed to fit a small double bed in there as well as a pretty wardrobe and desk. Elsie was very pleased with the room, and the fresh linen and flowers added the finishing touches.

As they walked, Elsie smiled thinking of their lovely home together. She had never been happier. She turned to her husband, to find him smiling down at her.

"Penny for them Elsie? You seemed lost in thought …" he said cheerfully.

"Oh I was just thinking about married life and the cottage … and how happy I am …" she said contentedly.

Charles was thrilled that Elsie's happiness matched his own. He bent down and gave her a chaste peck on the cheek.

"Charles … we are in public …" she said gently, smiling nevertheless.

"I know we are … but I love you very much and sometimes I just cannot help myself …" he kidded, bending down to kiss her on the cheek again.

Elsie giggled as she held his arm more tightly. They were nearing the train station. Elsie could not deny that she had butterflies in her tummy. She hoped she had done the right thing by pressuring Charles into inviting his sister to stay. She hoped that Charles and Muriel might grow a little closer. She was his only surviving blood relation after all.

Just as they were about to enter the station, Charles bent one last time and kissed her on the cheek. Elsie laughed and Charles whispered light-heartedly,

"Oops there I go again … I just can't help it!"

He gave Elsie a loving smile and took hold of her hand, the hand that had been resting on his arm. He held it tightly, winking at her, as they walked to the platform.

Whatever should happen over the next couple of days, they were in this together.

######

They watched as many passengers got off the train, scanning the platform for Muriel and her husband. Finally Elsie spotted a tiny, hunched old lady walking down the platform towards them and a man, of similar build, following dutifully behind her. Elsie looked up at Charles who nodded, that was Muriel. Elsie smiled inwardly, maybe this would not be so bad after all; this frail old woman could not get up to too much mischief surely.

"Hello Muriel … Harold … it's nice to see you again …" Charles said as happily as he could muster.

"Don't lie to me Charles … you had no intention of seeing me again until I was dead in my grave … and even then you probably wouldn't have bothered coming to the funeral …" she said grumpily.

Elsie laughed nervously as Charles smiled wearily. She elbowed Charles, prompting him to introduce her.

"Oh … where are my manners … I would like to introduce my lovely wife Elsie …" he smiled genuinely.

"I am very pleased to meet you Muriel … and Harold … and I am delighted you could come and stay with us …" Elsie said politely.

"Oh bloody hell … you didn't tell me she was Scottish … never trust a flaming Scot … always up to no good …" she said to Charles, ignoring Elsie altogether.

"Right Muriel that is it … don't you dare …" Charles began, but paused when Elsie gripped his arm tightly. Elsie shook her head lightly at Charles.

"Well let's hope that you can learn to trust me throughout your stay Muriel …" Elsie answered diplomatically.

"Huh … don't count on it love … and you keep your hands off my Harold … I know what you bloody Scots women are like … floozies the lot of you …" the older woman huffed, as she marched past Charles and Elsie and headed out of the station. As Harold tottered after her, he looked about ninety at least, he winked at Elsie.

"Oh my!" Elsie said, she was lost for any other words. Both she and Charles stood silently with their mouths gaping open.

"Just three days Elsie … just three days …" Charles said, as he held his wife's hand even more tightly. She let out a long breath, forced a smile and then walked after the elderly pair.

######

They had somehow got through dinner, with Muriel criticising every single thing she had tasted, although Elsie noted that she had eaten at least two platefuls. If Elsie had actually cooked any of the meal she would have thought Muriel had a point. Elsie was no fool and she knew that she was no great cook. However, Beryl had prepared the entire meal for Elsie, all she'd had to do was heat it through, and so Elsie knew that Muriel was just being spiteful as there was no greater cook than Beryl Patmore.

As Harold finished his third plateful he said,

"That was the best shepherd's pie I have ever tasted Elsie … thank you …"

He immediately received a glare from his wife.

"If you like it tasteless and on the greasy side I would agree," she said vindictively.

"I thought it was lovely Elsie … just perfect … thank you ..." Charles said, reaching over and kissing his wife chastely on the lips. Elsie stroked his face tenderly.

"Oh now I know what you see in her … puts it about a bit does she? Well I knew you hadn't married her for her cooking …" Muriel sneered, as she got up from the table and headed up to her bedroom.

Elsie gasped and then laughed, she could not help herself. Muriel was so rude it was actually quite funny. Charles shook his head in total disbelief; his sister had actually gotten worse not better.

Harold then attempted to stand although the glass of beer he had drank with his dinner seemed to have gone straight to his head.

"Shall I help you upstairs Harold?" Elsie asked kindly. The old man was very shaky on his feet.

"Elsie my love … I can think of many ways you could help me …" he said suggestively, licking his lips and ogling Elsie. In fact if she was not mistaken his eyes were drawn to somewhere south of her face.

Charles coughed loudly, shocked by this leery side of Harold that he had not seen before.

"Umm … Harold … I'll walk you upstairs …" he interjected. This man might be approaching ninety but there was no way he was leaving Elsie alone with him for a second.

"Oh spoilsport …" he muttered, as Charles took his arm and rolled his eyes, chuckling towards Elsie who was laughing too.

"Good night Harold …" she shouted after him.

"Good night Elsie my love …" he replied.

######

"What a flaming day …" Charles said as he returned to join Elsie in the kitchen.

"Well at least Harold is quite pleasant …" Elsie said, looking on the bright side.

"Pleasant? That's one word for him … he's a dirty old man … " Charles said shaking his head.

"He's not that bad …" Elsie replied.

"Not that bad … Elsie ... he told me that you have lovely breasts …" Charles said exasperated, his eyebrows rising to the sky.

Elsie shrieked with shocked laughter, covering her face with her hands.

"I mean honestly …" Charles began, before sweeping Elsie into his arms and then continuing with a smile, "… he's absolutely correct but nevertheless …"

Charles kissed Elsie soundly.

As Elsie kissed her husband, cupping his handsome face in her hands, she had only one thought; just two more days.


	22. Chapter 22

Chapter 22

"That bed was lumpy … I didn't sleep a wink all night …" Muriel groaned, as she made her way downstairs for breakfast.

"I must have been imagining you snoring all night then …" Harold said, as he shuffled behind her.

Charles and Elsie smiled at one another as they heard their guests coming down the stairs, "Batten down the hatches!" Charles joked.

"Good morning Muriel … Good morning Harold …" Elsie said cheerfully, having decided that the only way to deal with Muriel was to be even more chipper.

"There's nothing good about this morning …" she grumbled, as she sat down at the table.

"Why Muriel … you are like a little ray of sunshine aren't you?" Charles said, rolling his eyes at his sister. Elsie glared at him.

"Now Muriel … what can we get you for breakfast?" Elsie asked kindly.

"What have you got? And I don't want any of your haggis …" she growled.

"Don't worry Muriel there is no haggis for breakfast …." Elsie explained patiently, with Charles adding,

"No … we are saving that for dinner!"

He said this with such an animated smile; Elsie could not help but giggle.

"Well … we didn't know what you might like and so we have a bit of everything … there is porridge, toast, sausages and bacon, some eggs …. then we have tea and orange juice … it's what they all drink in America …" Elsie finished, as the old woman scowled in disgust at the thought of drinking something that was popular in America.

"I'll have some sausage and eggs …" she said sulkily.

"Very well … Charles would you do the honours …" Elsie asked smiling.

"Certainly …."

Elsie was relieved to have made it over the first hurdle of the day. She noticed happily that Harold was tucking in without being asked. As she caught his eye, he winked at her again. Elsie could not help but giggle.

As they sat and ate breakfast, in relative calm, Charles looked towards his wife, his heart full of love. He knew that it must be torture for Elsie to bite her tongue with such barbed comments coming constantly her way, yet she was doing just that out of respect for him, and his sister. Charles would not have minded in the least if she had lost it with Muriel but she was keeping the peace in the hope that Charles might build some sort of relationship with his sibling. It just made him love her all the more. He grasped her hand under the table, as Elsie smiled up at him and squeezed his hand back. Once she had finished her breakfast, Elsie placed her hand on his leg, and stroked his thigh distractedly. She smiled knowingly at Charles as he almost choked on his tea.

Muriel looked at them suspiciously as they both continued smile.

"So Muriel … I wondered if you would like to go for a walk into the village today … I thought perhaps we could have afternoon tea … it will give us a chance to get better acquainted …" Elsie said cheerfully.

Charles smiled in wonder at his wife; he had to give it to her, she was trying everything in her power to win over Muriel; how Elsie could stand to be in her company for a moment longer he did not know. However, Charles wanted to support his wife and so he added merrily,

"Yes that's a good idea … perhaps we could sit out in the garden for a bit Harold and then if you feel up to it, we could walk down to the pub for a swift pint?"

"Aye that would be grand Charles … and afternoon tea sounds nice doesn't it love?" Harold said to his wife. Charles had a newfound respect for Harold, he may be a dirty old man but he had the patience of a saint to put up with Muriel.

"I suppose at least it won't be your cooking …" Muriel said, pointing at Elsie.

Charles waited for Elsie to explode but no … she continued to rise above it. Well almost.

"That's right Muriel … you'll get the chance to complain about someone else's cooking … won't that be lovely …" Elsie said calmly, with a little wink towards Charles, who grinned at his wife.

######

Elsie was washing the breakfast dishes, as she smiled through the window at Charles who was hanging out some washing for her. Muriel was upstairs getting changed as Harold sat at the kitchen table finishing his cup of tea.

"So Harold … you have known Charles since he was a young man … did he have a queue of girls waiting to go out with him in those days?" Elsie asked, as the old man chuckled.

"Oh he didn't do too badly Elsie … although he definitely saved the prettiest girl for last …" Harold said, smiling up at her. She giggled cheerfully with Harold.

"You are a bit of an old charmer aren't you?" Elsie teased, as she came back to the table to collect some more dishes.

"Ooh I wouldn't mind charming you Elsie Carson … I'd charm you right into bed given half the chance …" he said cheekily.

"Harold! Don't let my husband hear you say that …" Elsie said good-naturedly.

"Oh Elsie … why don't you give Charles the old heave-ho and we'll run off together …" Harold continued warmly. For a man approaching ninety he was quite the flirt, thought Elsie.

Elsie continued to laugh, as she added,

"I am afraid I can't do that Harold … I am in love with Charles you see …"

"Oh bloody typical … the pretty girls are always taken … well if you won't run off with me … we'll just have to have a torrid affair …" Harold said, his eyes wide with excitement as he stared at Elsie's bottom, as she reached across the table to pick up the last of the cups.

As Elsie turned around she noticed where his gaze rested and blushed, shaking her head lightly as she made her way back to the sink.

"You'll get me into trouble saying things like that Harold …" Elsie joked.

"Ooh not as much trouble as I'd like to get you into …" the old man salivated. He got up from the table to give Elsie his cup to wash, and as he did so his other hand stroked and squeezed her bottom.

Elsie jumped in surprise as the Harold moaned huskily.

"Harold!" Elsie laughed nervously, as she swiftly removed his hand.

"Sorry Elsie … I got carried away there …" he smiled mischievously.

"Well you sit back down at the table and keep those roaming hands to yourself," she scolded, although as she turned back to the dishes, she could not help but smile.

######

As Elsie and Muriel walked to the village, the former Housekeeper decided to try and find out a little more about the other woman. Elsie gritted her teeth and began.

"So Muriel … did you work, before you met Harold?" she asked.

"Yes of course … I had to support myself … I was a Post Mistress …" she answered.

"Oh how wonderful … and did you enjoy the work?" Elsie asked.

"No, not really … but as my mother was so preoccupied with Charles I didn't really have much choice … gave it up when I married Harold …" she explained.

"Oh I see … and you have been married to Harold for over fifty years … that's wonderful …" Elsie added.

"Well … there's no fear of you and Charles hitting that milestone is there? I am not sure why you bothered getting married at your age … you'll be dead soon enough …" she said gloomily.

"That's a nice cheery thought Muriel … we got married because we love each other … and we are very happy …" Elsie said firmly.

"Umm … I can see that … it's unseemly if you ask me … jigging about together at your age … you two should be well past that by now …" she uttered.

Elsie giggled; Muriel was quite ghastly but she did make Elsie laugh,

"Well Muriel … I hadn't done any jigging for at least twenty years and so I suppose I am making up for lost time!" Elsie replied with a grin.

Muriel tried her best to look disgusted but Elsie was sure she noticed just a hint of a smile on her face.

######

"Don't mind Muriel lad … you know what she's like …" Harold said, as he sipped his pint.

"I know Harold … I just don't understand why she always has to be so cruel …" Charles replied.

"Oh it's just her way … she always was a misery … nothing makes her happier than grumbling about something or other …" Harold added.

"But why? Why does she have to be like that? She has done nothing but insult Elsie since she arrived … Elsie is so kind … she doesn't deserve it Harold … and I am afraid I cannot excuse her behaviour …" Charles said firmly.

"Quite right too Charles … it is inexcusable … but I am afraid she isn't about to change now … and I know you wouldn't guess this … but she was thrilled to be invited to stay you know …" Harold said smiling.

"Really? Then why has she done nothing but criticise Elsie and I since she arrived …" Charles said miserably.

"Oh cheer up lad … you have nothing to be glum about … you are married to a gorgeous lass who loves the bones of you … and I bet she's a right little firecracker in the bedroom as well …" Harold winked at Charles.

Charles almost choked on his pint as he coughed and spluttered in response.

"I'll take that as a yes …" Harold chuckled.

######

"How did it go? As if I have to ask …" Charles said to his wife, as she joined him in the kitchen following her afternoon in the village with Muriel. The afternoon had proved somewhat of a trial, having got progressively worse after their walk into the village.

"The scones were dry, the butter too salty and the jam wasn't a patch on what she makes at home … oh and as well as being dishonest and loose … Scottish women are also quite unintelligent … apparently the whisky addles our brains … give me a hug Charles …" Elsie said, exhausted after her time alone with Muriel.

Charles held her snugly to his chest.

"I am so sorry Elsie … she is a bitter woman … she has no right to say those things to you … you have gone out of your way to make her feel welcome … I have had enough … please let me have words with her … I cannot bear this any longer … it is one thing her being gruff and rude with me but I cannot stand by and let her upset you …" he said, his voice filled with emotion.

"It's alright Charles honestly … I am sure she doesn't mean half the things she says … and I can stand up for myself … I don't need you to fight my battles … I'll be fine in a minute … just hold me a little longer …" she said against his chest.

"But that's just it Elsie … you don't have to fight your own battles now … you have a husband who loves and supports you ... and who stands beside you … always …" he said tenderly.

"I know I do Charles … and I love my husband very much … but we both know that I am more than capable of tearing a strip off Muriel if I want to …" she concluded.

Charles could not disagree with that. He rested his head on Elsie's hair, stroking her back to comfort her.

"Where has the old boot gone now?" he asked.

"She said she was retiring to her bedroom for the night … Harold is already up there … she couldn't face any more of my cooking … she said she'd see us in the morning after another night's sleep in her lumpy bed … " Elsie laughed at the list of insults Muriel had imparted on her way upstairs.

Charles moved one hand to Elsie's chin, tilting her lovely face up to his,

"Have I told you lately what a wonderful woman you are Elsie Carson … and how utterly beautiful and splendid you are … and how I could not live without you … you fill my heart with joy … and I love you so very much …" he whispered these sweet words, in between kisses to her cheek, her lips, her neck, her nose, her lips.

Elsie sighed contentedly, happy to have her husband spoil her in this way. She needed it after the day she'd had. Elsie looked into his eyes and could see they were filled with love and ... lust ... and there was no ladylike way of saying this, but she needed her husband right now. His roaming hands and low groans suggested he also needed this now. Elsie pressed herself up against her husband, her desire beginning to overtake her as she teased his lips between her teeth. He slipped one hand downwards to massage her bottom as he pulled her to him more firmly, and his other hand ran upwards through her hair as he began to bite and kiss her neck. He was coming undone but Elsie wavered for a second,

"Should we be doing this Charles? With your sister and her husband in the house?" Elsie asked, thinking at least one of them had to be sensible.

"They'll not hear us down here …" he murmured as he lifted her clear off the floor, and deposited her gently on the kitchen table.

"Here?" Elsie said, shocked but secretly quite thrilled.

"Here …" Charles groaned.


	23. Chapter 23

Chapter 23

"Charles … I was thinking …" Elsie began, as she lovingly tickled his chest. Charles was lying back in bed, happily remembering their antics in the kitchen the previous evening and feeling spoiled.

"Yes my love …" he said dreamily, as he lay back on the pillows, his eyes closed.

"Perhaps you should spend some time with your sister today … just the two of you …" Elsie suggested.

"And leave you alone with that old scoundrel Harold … no chance …" Charles smiled.

"I am serious Charles … you might not get many more opportunities to build bridges with Muriel … she is your sister after all … and she goes home tomorrow …" Elsie said, leaning forward to kiss his chest.

As Charles murmured contently, she continued to cover his chest in tiny kisses, whilst running her hands more firmly up and down his torso. Charles was lost to this pleasure as Elsie moved her hand lower. Charles jerked, his eyes flying open as he realised where her hand was now stroking.

"Oh my … umm … Elsie … you have never … there … you have never …" he breathed, unable to put his feelings into words.

She smiled against his chest as she continued to caress him. Charles was becoming more used to her touch, the broadest grin on his face.

"… and if you think you are going to get around me like that …" Charles began blissfully,

"… then you are absolutely right …" he finished with a smile.

Elsie grinned victoriously.

######

They had made it through the trauma of another breakfast. However, Elsie was pleased to note, there had been no further jibes about her Scottish heritage; this was a small miracle in itself.

Elsie began to collect the plates and cutlery.

"Elsie … you sit down and enjoy your tea … I'll do those …" Charles said kindly, as he finished collecting the dishes to be washed.

"My goodness Charles … you are a soft touch … washing dishes is women's work … she has got you well and truly under her thumb hasn't she?" Muriel said snidely.

"No Muriel … I simply like to do my bit that is all … Elsie does so much for me and it's the least I can do …" he smiled lovingly at his wife.

"If you say so … you'll be wearing a skirt next … like those fellas from her neck of the woods …" she said, pointing huffily at Elsie. Elsie shook her head wearily, there it was, the Scottish jibe. She had almost lasted a whole mealtime without one, Elsie smiled inwardly.

"They are kilts Muriel … not skirts … we should get one for Harold … you'll be able to enjoy his lovely legs then!" Elsie joked.

Muriel looked appalled as Harold chuckled.

######

All four of them were sitting in the living room, reading their various books and newspapers. As Elsie looked around the room, she smiled. You could almost believe they were a happy little family when everyone was silent and reading.

As she caught Charles's eye she motioned to Muriel and mouthed silently "Go on …"

Charles rolled his eyes at Elsie but he took the hint and took a deep breath and said,

"Muriel … I wondered if you would like to go for a walk up to the Abbey this afternoon … I thought it might be nice for you to see where I was working for all of those years …" he suggested.

"Why on earth would I want to see the Abbey? I can do without seeing all those toffee-nosed folk and having their privileged lives forced down my throat …" she said bitterly.

"Fine … it was only a suggestion … forget I said anything …" Charles blustered, giving Elsie a look that said, 'I tried' as he went back to his book.

Elsie looked at Charles with sadness, he was trying to brush this off but his feelings were hurt, she could see that. Elsie looked to Muriel, who for once did not have a scowl on her face. Muriel caught Elsie's gaze. Elsie shook her head sadly towards the older woman, wondering how she could be so cruel to Charles who had tried to extend an olive branch to her.

"Honestly Charles … I don't know … you always were a moody child … I cannot remember saying I didn't want to go for a walk with you … just not to the Abbey that is all … a breath of fresh air would be quite agreeable …" Muriel said, the words almost choking her.

Elsie smiled at Muriel and the older woman reddened in embarrassment and seemed to get quite flustered.

Charles looked up from his book in surprise, firstly at Muriel and then at Elsie, who was beaming back at him and nodding in encouragement for him to speak.

"Oh … right … well perhaps we could walk down by the river …" he suggested nervously.

"Fine … good … I'll go and get changed then …" Muriel said, as she rose from her seat.

Elsie gripped Charles' hand excitedly as Muriel left the room. Charles smiled at his wife and reached across to kiss her on the cheek. They were interrupted when Harold spoke,

"So Elsie … what shall you and I do this afternoon? Read in the garden or make passionate love?" Harold said with a naughty grin.

Charles almost exploded in shock as Elsie shrieked with laughter.

"I'm a bit tired Harold so reading in the garden it is …" Elsie replied, smiling at the older man.

"Fair enough …" Harold replied happily as he went back to his book. Charles' mouth was still hanging open in amazement, as Elsie collapsed into fits of laughter.

######

Charles and Muriel were walking along the riverbank. Neither had said more than a couple of words since they had left the cottage, although Charles had been quite surprised when he had offered his arm to his older sister, and she had gladly taken it. Charles realised this was probably the longest they had ever spent in each other's company in decades, as they walked in the afternoon sun, linking arms. He spotted a seat up ahead.

"Shall we sit for a while Muriel?" he asked carefully. Whenever he spoke to his sister he always waited for a barrage of abuse to come back at him.

"Yes … why not …" she replied.

They both sat in silence looking out to the river. Charles thought he should break the tension by saying something but he really was not sure what to say.

"So … you and Harold are keeping well then?" he offered.

"As well as you can expect for two people who are mere moments away from the pearly gates …" she replied.

"Get away … you'll outlive the lot of us Muriel …" Charles said, and he meant it. No one as obnoxious as Muriel would be keeling over anytime soon.

"Not sure I want to …" she replied.

Charles would have presumed this was another wise crack had it not been for the little quiver in her voice. He thought it best to change the subject.

"Elsie said you met Beryl yesterday … in the tea shop …" Charles said.

"Was she the chubby redhead? She was a bit hysterical if you ask me …" Muriel said in her usual off-hand manner.

Charles let out a deep breath,

"Well yes … she has red hair … and she is also Elsie's best friend … and a good friend of mine too …" he said kindly.

"Oh well lucky you … you have lots of friends I suppose … that's why you have no time for your sister …" she swiped.

"Muriel … don't start that …" Charles said wearily.

"Don't start what? It's true … do you know the last time I saw you was 8 years ago … 8 years ago Charles …" she said accusingly.

"And why does that surprise you Muriel … when all you ever do is make hurtful comments and criticise me … that's all I have ever had from you since the moment I was born …" Charles said adamantly. He refused to feel guilty when she had always been so negative towards him.

"That's not true … I used to look after you when you were a baby … our mother and Jack were always working … so it was me that bathed you, fed you and put you to bed … I used to read stories to you as well ... she said defiantly.

Charles looked at her in total astonishment.

"Is that true?" he asked, stunned that Muriel had ever shown him any kindness.

"Yes of course it's true … I hope you are not calling me a liar Charles Carson …" she replied.

"No … no of course I am not … but why can I only remember you treating me poorly … making digs and nasty comments at my expense …" he asked.

"Well … by the time you could walk and talk I was getting fed up I suppose … it was always Charles this and Charles that … I got fed up with it all … I had lost my father and … well it seemed that I had also lost my mother … enough was enough and so I moved out …" she said, the emotion catching in her voice.

"But you hadn't lost your mother Muriel … she was devastated that you were no longer part of her life … she hardly saw you in her last few years … we hardly saw you …" he added.

"I wasn't going to go where I wasn't welcome …" she finished, a hardness back in her voice.

Charles gazed at his sister. What a total mess, he thought. She had felt side-lined by his arrival so had become bitter and resentful, distancing herself from her family and he, having only known cruelness from his estranged half-sister had made no effort to keep in touch, other than the occasional letter. He shook his head despondently; there was nothing either of them could do to change the past.

"Shall we go back Muriel?" he said wearily.

"Yes, let's go back …" she replied quietly.

Both were lost in thought as they made their way back to the cottage.

######

The atmosphere had been subdued for the rest of the evening. Muriel seemed to have lost some of her normal bite and Charles was tired after such a tense afternoon. They had all gone up to bed early. Elsie hoped that a good night's sleep might be just what they all needed.

As Charles and Elsie woke the next morning, Charles told her about the conversation with his sister. Elsie was teary as she listened to Charles. She hugged Charles tightly as they lay in bed.

"She's scared Charles …" Elsie whispered.

"Scared?" Charles asked, perplexed.

"Yes … don't you see … she's scared of being on her own … Harold is ten years older than her … she cannot bear the thought of surviving him … and she's worried she'll have no one … that's why she wanted to visit you … don't you see … you are the only family she has left … and I doubt she has many friends …" Elsie said sympathetically yet truthfully.

"No … I doubt it … if she speaks to them like she speaks to us …" Charles agreed.

"She needs to know we are here for her Charles …" Elsie added.

"Oh Elsie … if she is so desperate to restore relations … if she is so scared … why has she spent the last 3 days being rude and thoughtless to us?" Charles asked.

"I think it is just her way … " Elsie said compassionately.

"But her way has driven away any family or friends she could have had … she has brought this on herself … no-one else is to blame … and as for us being here for her … I hardly know the woman Elsie …" he said plainly.

"But she is your sister Charles … you couldn't allow her to be all alone … I know you couldn't … you have far too big a heart for that …" Elsie smiled, as she kissed her husband.

"What you mean is ... you have far too big a heart for that … I am not as nice as you Elsie … and you would do well to remember that …" Charles joked, as he shook his head with a smile at his wife.

"Tell her … tell her before she leaves …" Elsie said.

"Tell her what Elsie? I really would not know what to say …" Charles said worriedly.

"Just make sure she knows that she has us …" Elsie smiled.

Charles let out a long sigh as he cuddled his wife to him closely. He knew Elsie was right but he had no idea what he would say to Muriel. Charles gazed tenderly at his wife; she had the kindest heart and he had never loved her more than in this moment.

######

"So you have everything?" Elsie asked, as Charles held the door to the train carriage open.

"Yes of course we have … stop fussing woman …" Muriel snapped at Elsie.

Charles raised his eyebrows; he could throttle his sister.

Elsie helped Harold into the carriage and Charles noted that his brother-in-law gave Elsie a very warm hug to say goodbye; too warm as far as Charles was concerned. Harold reached out to shake Charles' hand.

"Right … well I better get inside too …" Muriel said.

"Yes … yes … you don't want the train to leave without you …" Charles stuttered.

Elsie looked from Charles to Muriel shaking her head; they were both as bad as each other.

"Muriel … you are both very welcome to visit us at any time …" Elsie said, smiling at her sister-in-law.

Muriel looked quite taken aback by Elsie's kindness. She did not know what to say for a moment and then she looked up at Charles and said anxiously,

"I'm not sure Charles would echo that sentiment Elsie …"

Muriel smiled nervously at Charles and Elsie glared at him, thinking he better say something right now or she would strangle him.

"I do echo that Muriel … sincerely … you are welcome to visit us at any time … and if you ever need anything … well you know where we are … perhaps we could also come and visit you?" he said warmly.

Muriel tried to keep a check on her emotions but Elsie could see she was touched. For once, she looked all of her eighty years as she stood in front of her brother and sister-in-law, a frail and lonely woman who was genuinely moved by the sentiments her brother had just shared.

"Yes … I would like that …" she managed.

At that, the train whistle blew and Muriel realised she had to board the train.

"Goodbye Muriel," Elsie said, as she kissed her sister-in-law on the cheek.

"Goodbye Elsie … Charles …" Muriel replied as Charles gave her a quick peck on the cheek as well.

She turned to board the train. Charles locked the door securely behind her. The train was slowly pulling away as Muriel wound down the window and shouted,

"One more thing Charles … "

"Yes?" Charles replied, as the train moved out of the station.

"… you look after that wife of yours … she is a treasure … even if she is a Scot!" Muriel smiled.

Charles and Elsie laughed happily as the train pulled away.

"Finally … my sister and I agree on something …" Charles smiled as he hugged Elsie to him, happy tears welling in his eyes as he held his wife closely.

**A/N: Thank you for your reviews - please do keep reviewing as it helps me enormously x**


	24. Chapter 24

Chapter 24

Elsie and Charles sat in the train carriage holding hands. Both were looking forward to spending some time together- just the two of them- during their day out in Ripon. The last few days had been hectic, with Muriel and Harold as house guests and then the Village Fete. Both Elsie and Charles had been roped in by Mrs Crawley to organise stalls for this event. Therefore, they were both delighted to be alone at last.

The train carriage was full of people and therefore any affection between the pair had to be restrained and proper but as Charles gazed at Elsie with a loving smile, he revelled in simply being able to hold her hand in public. He was still not quite used to little gestures such as this. He smiled inwardly thinking how much further their relationship had developed over the last 5 weeks, certainly they had gone way, way beyond holding hands, Charles thought excitedly. Yet, it was these small gestures that Charles often found the most daring: being able to hold Elsie's hand in public; placing a gentle hand on her lower back to guide her into their pew at Church; and giving Elsie a goodbye kiss by their front door as she headed out to meet with Beryl. These were little things that Charles had not dared to risk in their 20 years of friendship, always retaining propriety. Therefore the fact that he now had the freedom to show his love for Elsie in these gentle ways was exhilarating for him.

Elsie smiled contentedly at her man; enjoying him softly stroking her hand as they neared Ripon Station. She adored holding Charles's hand; it made her feel loved and cherished. She had craved his touch for over two decades yet neither had dared to reach out to the other. They were close friends and colleagues and even an innocent demonstration of care, such as holding hands, would have been highly inappropriate. On the fleeting occasions when they had done so; such as when the House suffered a bereavement or when one of them was feeling unwell, the warmth and fondness of such a gesture had stayed with Elsie for a long time afterwards. She felt blessed to be able to enjoy such loving affection freely and she did not think she would ever lose that lovely tingling sensation that soared through her body every time Charles touched or caressed her.

They planned to do some shopping whilst in Ripon. Elsie wanted some material and threads, as she planned to make some new curtains for their sitting room, and Charles wanted to buy a couple of plants for their garden, as well as some new gardening tools. Gardening had become quite a passion for the ex-Butler and Elsie was thrilled that he had found a hobby to enjoy as she had feared he might be bored now that his days were his own and he did not have an entire staff to lead. However, they had both found real pleasure in a quieter and slower pace of life. Elsie realised it was still early days but she was pleased to note that so far, neither had missed their work at Downton; they missed their friends of course, but neither missed their work. They had both been more than ready to retire once that opportunity arose.

Before they completed their errands, they were going to have afternoon tea. Ripon was full of tea shops and therefore the pair were spoiled for choice. They both wandered happily, at ease in each other's company. After enjoying walking around the narrow cobbled streets, one particular tea shop caught Elsie's eye as the display of cakes and pastries in the window looked too enticing to miss.

"Let's go in here Charles …" Elsie smiled at her husband.

"Here?" Charles said, his voice a little strained.

"Yes … this looks like a lovely tea shop … don't you think?" she replied.

"Yes … yes … I just thought you might want to have a look at a few others before deciding …" Charles said.

"Well … we could … but look at those cakes Charles … and that apple pie looks divine …" Elsie said enthusiastically.

"Yes of course … those pastries do look lovely … if you are sure you want to go in here ..." Charles said.

"Charles is everything alright?" Elsie asked. She wasn't quite sure what had happened but he seemed a little anxious.

"Yes of course Elsie … of course … I am just being indecisive … you know what my sweet tooth is like …" he joked.

"Well let's get inside and you can satisfy that sweet tooth with any number of treats …" she said cheerfully.

Charles followed Elsie as she walked happily into the tea shop.

He was being ridiculous; surely she could not still work here, he thought nervously. It had been over twenty years since he had seen or spoken to Sarah. Charles had never mentioned Sarah to Elsie; he had not thought it necessary as she was part of his past. Anyway, even if Sarah did still work here, it would be fine, Charles thought. He was sure it would be fine. Elsie knew he had courted other women in his past; in fact it was Elsie that had made such an effort to help him remember Alice so fondly. Therefore, she would be absolutely fine if she found out about Sarah, Charles thought rationally; either that or she would be completely furious that he had not told her about this part of his past and she would rip him apart limb from limb! Charles had a very ominous feeling as he entered the shop.

"Hello … a table for two please …" Elsie breezed happily.

Charles quickly scanned the room, letting out a relieved breath as he saw no sign of Sarah. He smiled thinking that the tea shop really had not changed over the years. He had spent many a happy afternoon sitting at the window table waiting for Sarah to finish her work so he could walk her home. It seemed like another lifetime ago, and in reality it was. His life was now truly wonderful. He had never been happier than he was in this moment, married to the woman that he loved with all of his heart. Elsie was his best friend and his dearest love; she was quite simply his life and no woman from his past had even come close to how much he loved and adored Elsie.

"Charles … is this table ok?" Elsie asked.

"Yes lovely Elsie … absolutely lovely …" he said, broken from his thoughts.

They both sat down.

"What do you fancy Charles … a cream tea … or apple pie … oh ... that chocolate torte looks gorgeous … or perhaps some lemon cake … that does look good … oh my … I don't know what to have …" Elsie said, a radiant smile on her face as she perused the stunning display of cakes and pastries.

Charles beamed delightedly at his wife. He loved to see her so happy and carefree. She was like a child in a sweet shop, as her eyes widened in delight at the array of sweet delicacies in front of her.

"Well I think we deserve a treat … so why don't we have all of those … we can share and try everything … oh and maybe get some of that strawberry gateau as well …" Charles enthused.

Elsie giggled.

"Charles … won't we look a little greedy if we have five desserts between us!" Elsie whispered, laughter in her voice.

"Oh never mind about that …. you only live once … let's go mad …" he smiled happily, as he reached out to squeeze Elsie's hand.

######

They had devoured most of their desserts and were sitting contentedly feeling fit to burst. Charles had calmed since his earlier worries. There had been no sign of Sarah and so he had been able to enjoy a wonderful afternoon with his wife, as they chatted about their friends back at Downton and Elsie had filled him in with the latest gossip from Beryl.

"We should do this at least once a week Elsie … it has been a lovely afternoon …" Charles smiled.

"Charles … if we do this once a week I'll be the size of a house by Christmas … " Elsie joked.

"Well perhaps we wouldn't order quite as much if we came regularly … maybe just four desserts instead of five …." Charles laughed.

"You really do have the sweetest tooth don't you my love?" Elsie said tenderly; as she reached out to caress Charles' face.

Charles enjoyed her warm touch, as he leaned into her hand, relishing the feel of her gentle strokes. He raised his hand to meet hers, as he lightly held and kissed her palm. He then softly kissed her wrist, as he looked deeply into her beautiful blue eyes. Elsie melted as he continued to kiss her hand, whilst gazing at her with utter adoration. She could feel her heartbeat quicken as he continued to cosset her. She was broken from this lovely moment, as the waitress delivered their bill. Elsie smiled and reluctantly drew her hand away from Charles' touch.

"Charles … what are we like … we really should not do that in public …" Elsie smiled, biting her lip.

"You are right Elsie … we really should stop …" Charles said with a smile, whilst raising from his seat and leaning across the table to kiss Elsie soundly on the lips.

Elsie looked at him in surprise and delight, shaking her head at his naughtiness.

"You are blushing Elsie Carson …" Charles said smugly.

"I know I am Charles Carson … I wonder why that is … everyone is looking at us …" she whispered accusingly but Charles could see from the sweet smile on her lips that she hadn't minded at all.

"Shall we get going then Elsie? Now that we have behaved so scandalously …" he joked, wiggling his eyebrows at her.

She giggled, as he helped her with her coat.

"Let's go .." she said happily, as she grasped his hand.

They had just reached the door of the tea shop when a voice called from the back of the room,

"Charlie Carson … as I live and breathe …"

They both turned. Elsie was still smiling but as she looked up to her husband, he looked like he had just seen a ghost.


	25. Chapter 25

Chapter 25

"Sarah … hello … I did not think you would still work here …" Charles stuttered.

"I don't … not really … I own the tea shop now … and you are the last person on earth I expected to see in here …" she smiled.

Elsie continued to hold Charles' hand as she stood silently watching this conversation unfold. There was something about Sarah that made her anxious; she was overly confident in the way she spoke to Charles. Elsie wondered if Charles was ever going to introduce her. Thankfully, he must have had the same thought.

"Oh … I am sorry … Sarah ... this is my wife Elsie …" Charles said flustered.

Elsie noticed that Sarah had been surprised at this introduction, for a moment she seemed to waver but then she regained her composure.

"It is nice to meet you Sarah …" Elsie said politely.

"It is nice to meet you also Elsie … in fact I am very pleased to meet the woman who finally got Charlie down the aisle …" she laughed cynically.

Elsie smiled at the woman despite not appreciating her humour at all. Sarah's words had a coldness to them that Elsie really did not like.

"Well Sarah … we should be going … it was lovely to see you again … but Elsie and I really must catch the train home …" Charles said, racing through his words and tugging on Elsie's hand. He knew he had some explaining to do and the sooner he did this, the better.

Elsie looked up at her man; he looked very unsettled. Who was this Sarah? Charles had never mentioned her at all. Was she a friend? Or was she an ex-girlfriend? Elsie decided the second option was most likely, given the smug expression on the woman's face as well as the sheepish demeanour of her husband. However, Charles had told her all about Alice, therefore surely if Sarah had meant anything important to Charles, he would have told Elsie about her as well. This thought reassured Elsie a little; she had convinced herself that Sarah could not have been anything more than a fleeting romance. Yet, Elsie was desperate to know more about this woman and, more importantly, to know exactly how much Sarah had meant to Charles.

"My goodness Charlie … you haven't seen me in all of these years and now you want to run off after such a brief chat …" Sarah said, shaking her head as a smirk appeared on her lips. Elsie realised that Sarah was enjoying teasing Charles in this way. She seemed to like to see him unsettled and on edge. Therefore Elsie decided to play her at her own game.

"Oh Charles and I can easily get the next train Sarah … why don't we all have a cup of tea together …" Elsie suggested, beaming at Sarah as the tea shop owner looked displeased that Elsie was so calm. Sarah tried to continue her bravado,

"That would be delightful Elsie … I am sure Charlie has told you all about me and so it will nice for me to hear all about you …" she said smugly to Elsie. Sarah knew that Charles had never mentioned her to Elsie; that much was clear from Elsie's surprised expression moments earlier.

Elsie was becoming increasingly riled by this woman but was determined to remain calm. As for Charles, he had a feeling of doom deep down in his stomach. He did not like where this was headed at all. He knew that Sarah had been left very bitter all of those years ago, although he hoped with time this had lessened. However, he could not bear for her to take out any remaining resentment on Elsie. Elsie was the innocent party here and she did not deserve to be used in some sort of tit for tat by Sarah. Charles looked from one woman to the other: Sarah had a cruel smirk on her face and Elsie looked to be forcing a smile, yet she was obviously shaken by the last few moments. Charles thought desperately that he wished he had told Elsie about Sarah but he had not done so and now he had to face the consequences; he only hoped she would understand.

######

They were sitting at a table in the tea shop; an awkward atmosphere surrounding them. Sarah had just finished asking Elsie all manner of questions about her previous career which Elsie had duly answered. However, Elsie was determined to find out about Sarah and Charles and so she decided to steer the conversation.

"So … how long ago was it that you two knew each other?" Elsie asked.

Charles jumped in before Sarah could speak, "It was about 20 years ago Elsie … a long, long time ago … we met before you joined me at Downton …"

Charles wanted to reassure Elsie; he did not want her to have a second of doubt about this woman. Charles grasped Elsie's hand beneath the table and was gazing at her intently as he spoke. He would explain all of this fully once they were alone but for now, he wanted to comfort her as much as possible. Elsie gazed at Charles but something told her she did not know the full story and she needed to know this now as this woman seemed to be dangling selective bits of information in front of her. Despite Charles' attempts to calm the situation, Elsie felt foolish and ridiculous that she was sitting here finding out information about her husband from this old flame of his. She felt vulnerable that the two people sitting at the table knew more than her, much more than her, about whatever had taken place in the past. She was furious with Charles that he had allowed her to be placed in the awkward predicament but she was even more furious with this woman, who was becoming more and more unpleasant in her tone and words. Elsie was trying so hard to rise above this, to pretend this was not bothering her but she could feel her temperature rising.

"Yes … about 20 years … we were sweethearts you see … and Charlie here courted me … quite the romantic he was ..." Sarah said with a self-satisfied smile.

Elsie's stomach lurched with that pronouncement, although she had already summised that Sarah had been in a romantic relationship with Charles. Elsie was trying with all of her might not to be jealous; this was a long time ago after all. However, Elsie did not enjoy the thought of Charles being romantic with anyone except her; particularly not this prickly woman in front of her. Elsie Carson, get a grip on yourself, she thought sensibly; Charles is yours now and he loves you. Remember how you scolded him for being jealous about Doctor Clarkson, well listen to your own advice she thought, he no longer cares for this woman. As Elsie looked again at Charles, she could see panic in his eyes and he was holding her hand even more firmly. She was broken from her thoughts when Sarah continued to speak,

"… Charlie and I were very close … very close indeed … I dare say I know Charlie almost as well as you Elsie …" Sarah claimed.

Elsie was furious now; how dare this woman claim such a thing. How arrogant for her to even suggest it and Elsie was getting more and more irked with her constant references to 'Charlie' rather than 'Charles'. Her husband could see the fire behind Elsie's eyes intensify and he knew he needed to intervene, which he did swiftly.

"Sarah … there is no way on earth that you know me like Elsie does … you and I courted in the dim and distant past … Elsie and I on the other hand were dear friends for two decades and are now very happily married … Elsie knows me better than anyone … in fact she knows me better than I know myself sometimes …" he said adamantly, smiling lovingly at his wife.

Charles felt wretched about the way this conversation was going. He knew it had been a dreadful idea to stay in this tea shop, to have tea with Sarah. He was no fool and he knew that he had left her feeling resentful and betrayed all those years ago and raking up details of this old relationship was doing no-one any good at all; not him, not Sarah and, and it broke his heart to say this, the worst affected was Elsie. Charles winced as he thought of his precious Elsie having to sit and listen to this woman, who was lauding over his wife details of a relationship Charles had long since forgotten.

"Ah but Charlie …" Sarah began.

That was it; Elsie snapped.

"Will you stop calling him Charlie! He hates to be called Charlie … and I don't care what you called him all of those years ago … would you kindly call him Charles now …" Elsie demanded.

"Well he was always my Charlie …" Sarah replied with a smirk.

"But he isn't now … he is my husband Charles … and you'd do well to remember that …" Elsie said more loudly than she had intended. She had had enough of this dance Sarah seemed to want to play. She did not intend to sit here a moment longer; it had been a bad idea of hers to stay, to try and be civil to this woman who seemed hell bent on upsetting both of them and, Elsie thought ruefully, she had absolutely succeeded. They had enjoyed a lovely afternoon until this ghost from Charles's past had reappeared. Elsie now felt completely unsettled and she felt let down by Charles. She certainly did not expect to know every single thing about his past but for her to have to sit and find out things from a stranger that she really should have found out from her husband was truly awful.

"Elsie … you have nothing to be jealous of … Charlie and I have not seen each other for decades … I hope you are not worried …" Sarah began, in a sickly sweet voice that appeared to Elsie to be completely insincere and very patronising.

"Sarah stop this right now … of course Elsie is not jealous as she has absolutely no need to be … I love Elsie with all of my heart … I have never loved any other woman the way I love Elsie … she is the love of my life and although I don't mean to be hurtful … the truth is … you are simply a small part of my past …" Charles remonstrated.

Elsie was very glad to hear this defence from Charles. However, she could see that they had both played into Sarah's hands, she wanted to elicit a reaction like this, and she wanted to cause tension between them. Charles must have really hurt her, Elsie thought, for the woman to be this bitter after over twenty years had passed. There was something Elsie had not been told, she was sure of it. She could see it in the way Charles had panic written over all of his face and she could tell there was something more in the brittleness and anger that was exuding from every pore of this other woman.

"A small part of your past Charlie … is that it … is that all you think of me? If I was such a small part of your past … why on earth did you ask me to marry you?" Sarah snarled.

Elsie looked across to the woman with total astonishment on her face. He had asked Sarah to marry him; they had been engaged. Elsie could barely breathe; how could Charles not have told her this? How could he keep this secret buried? Sarah noted the bewildered expression on Elsie's face.

"That's right Elsie … you did not know that did you? Your beloved Charlie ... who you know so well … proposed to me … was going to marry me … until he called the whole thing off and left me completely and utterly heart-broken …" Sarah barked, losing all control.

Charles looked to Elsie with fear and panic gripping his heart. He squeezed Elsie's hand, desperately trying to reassure her, but his heart sank as he felt Elsie pull her hand away from his grasp.


	26. Chapter 26

Chapter 26

Elsie was flabbergasted by the information she had just heard but she was trying so hard not to give Sarah the satisfaction of seeing her upset. Elsie stood with as much confidence as she could muster,

"Thank you for the tea Sarah … but we really must be going as the next train is due soon," Elsie said as impassively as possible. She disliked this woman intensely but was trying to keep her composure and be as polite as possible.

"Oh I am sorry to hear that Elsie … the conversation was just beginning to get interesting …" Sarah said cruelly.

"I have heard quite enough thank you," Elsie replied curtly.

"You haven't heard the half of it … over 6 months we were engaged before he broke it off …" Sarah continued.

"Sarah … please stop this right now … enough is enough … my god you have changed …" Charles said, as he stood to join Elsie.

"I have Charlie yes … being jilted tends to do that to you …" she responded sarcastically.

Elsie had heard enough. She felt sick in the pit of her stomach and tears were welling in her eyes. She had never felt so humiliated in her life. Here she was, hearing the most intimate details of her husband's former life, details that she had been totally unaware of before this afternoon and she'd had to hear about them from a total stranger; a woman who was obviously bitter and resentful about what had happened between her and Charles. How could he have let this happen? How could Charles have sat in this tea shop all afternoon without telling me? Elsie thought. She felt absolutely betrayed by Charles. He had allowed her to be completely mortified by this woman. If he had only told her; even if he had told her about Sarah this afternoon when Elsie had chosen the tea shop, this dreadful situation could have all been avoided. Yet, he had not said a word and therefore Elsie had had to find out about his past from another woman. As Elsie stood in the tea shop, a thousand thoughts running through her mind, she really could not believe that Charles had never mentioned Sarah. This was not some fleeting or trivial romance; he was about to be married to the woman. If he had not told Elsie about this; what else had he not told her? She now doubted whether she knew her husband at all.

Elsie could not bear to listen to anymore of this spiteful tirade from Sarah; and so without another word, she put on her coat, and headed for the door. Charles walked swiftly after her. Elsie took a huge gulp of fresh air as she stood for a second in the street, trying to gather herself. The tears that had threatened to spill for the last hour were now flowing freely and she began to sob.

"Oh Elsie my love I am so sorry … Elsie I never meant for you to find out like that … I am so sorry Elsie … I would never ever want to hurt you Elsie ..." Charles said, emotion lacing his voice, as he stepped forward to take Elsie in his arms.

"No! Don't you dare touch me Charles Carson … don't you dare …" she cried, as she looked up at her husband.

As Charles observed the hurt in her eyes it broke his heart. He had caused that hurt, no one else, he had done that. Elsie was the last person on earth he would ever want to distress and yet he had done exactly that. Her eyes, that were usually so full of joy and love, were now full of pain and upset. Charles wanted to crumble right there on the spot.

"Elsie … please forgive me … I can explain … Elsie I should have told you … of course I should have … I am so sorry … but if you will just hear me out …" Charles begged, his voice cracking with emotion.

He was scared, terrified in fact, that he had ruined things. My god, he thought, have I ruined things irrevocably? His wife that he loved and adored so much was looking at him with such agony he did not think he would ever be able to breathe again if she could not forgive him, if he could not ease her pain.

Elsie could not speak. As she looked at her husband, the man she loved more than any other, she was overwhelmed with sadness. She needed to get home. She really could not discuss this now. She needed to think; she needed to digest everything she had heard this afternoon.

"I can't …." Elsie began, her voice breaking into tears.

"Oh Elsie …" Charles whispered.

"Not now Charles … I just need to get home … I can't do this now …" she said.

Charles understood, it pained him not to sort this now, not to make everything right again now. However, he understood so he nodded silently to Elsie as tears flowed freely down his face. He furiously wiped these tears with the back of his hand as he tried to regain some sort of composure.

Elsie took a deep breath and began to slowly walk in the direction of the train station.

######

As the train neared Downton station; Elsie's emotions were still raw. She felt crushed by the revelations of this afternoon. She was not devastated that Charles had been engaged; after all Elsie had been proposed to twice by Joe Burns. She was also well aware that Charles had loved before; having found out about Alice a few years earlier. At their age, of course, both would have loved others, or at least been fond of other people. No, it was not the romance, the engagement, that had left Elsie feeling distraught. It was the lack of honesty from Charles that hurt her so much. She was hurt that he had not seen fit to tell her about this former love, either before today or even this very afternoon. She now understood completely why he had been so hesitant about going into that particular tea shop yet instead of being honest with his wife; he had said nothing at all. She felt sick to think that they had sat in that shop, enjoying a lovely afternoon together, and he had not said a thing. Had Sarah not appeared, would he ever have told her? Elsie had told Charles everything about her life; well certainly everything of importance. Yet, he had not done so and this wounded her deeply.

######

They walked in silence to the cottage. Charles could not bear it but he knew he had to; he had to give Elsie time. He had caused enough pain this afternoon and as difficult, as heart-breaking, as this was for him, he had to respect her wish not to discuss this yet.

As Elsie walked beside her husband, the pain and hurt had not lessened, yet another emotion was rising to the surface: sheer rage. She had been completely humiliated by Sarah. The woman had enjoyed seeing Elsie squirm. She had enjoyed lording details of the past over Charles's new wife. She had enjoyed showing Elsie exactly how little she really did know about her husband and Elsie had nothing to offer in return. She obviously did not know her husband as well as she had thought. Elsie was not used to having to accept such malice being directed at her; yet for once she had no answer, no sharp or clever retort. No response would have been sufficient for the obvious discomfort and unease that Sarah's words had caused and it was Elsie's husband, the man she loved more than any other, that had placed her in such a position. At this moment, Elsie was furious with Charles, she was incensed by her husband.

As they reached the door to their cottage, Elsie stopped dead in her tracks. Charles, who was holding the door open for her, gazed at her not knowing what to do or what to say to make things better. As he waited for her to go inside ahead of him, he looked at her with fear in his heart. She seemed to be weighing something up in her mind. He could see how saddened she was, she looked so troubled, but he could also see that she was enraged with him; infuriated that he had allowed this to happen.

"Elsie … let's go inside …" he said lightly, hoping to gently steer her inside.

It was dusk now and there was a chill in the air. Charles hoped at least a warm fire, and perhaps a glass of wine or something stronger, might help to ease the tension, might calm her enough to at least listen, to at least hear his sincere apology and his explanation.

"You let me sit in that tea shop all afternoon … all afternoon … with memories flashing through your mind … and yet you did not tell me … you allowed me to find out such important details of your life from a complete stranger … and to be shown up … to be humiliated by that woman … you are my husband Charles … how could you do that to me?" Elsie said.

Charles had expected her to shout at him, to shout and scream loudly, and he knew it was no less than he deserved. Yet, she had said those words, so quietly, with such bewilderment and pain lacing her voice.

"How could you?" she repeated, shaking her head disconsolately at him.

Charles' voice caught in his throat, he was distraught to have caused such pain.

"I love you Elsie …" he whispered.

Elsie looked into the eyes of her husband, still despondently shaking her head, and she turned and began to walk away.

"Elsie … please … Elsie come back …" Charles cried.

She kept on walking.

**A/N: Thank you for all of your reviews and lovely thoughts- they are a joy to read x**


	27. Chapter 27

**A/N: Thank you for all of the lovely reviews and amazing support x**

Chapter 27

Charles sat at the kitchen table, his head in his hands. He should never have let her walk off. He should have chased after her; insisted that she gave him a chance to explain. He had thought it best if she had time to calm down before he spoke to her but now, two hours later, and still no sign of Elsie, he was worried out of his mind. He felt desolate; how had he ruined everything so spectacularly? They had been so happy, so utterly and completely happy, enjoying married life and enjoying their retirement. They had relished a lovely afternoon in the tea shop; until it all came crashing down around them and he knew that he only had himself to blame. Why had he not told Elsie about Sarah? He had no real answer. He obviously could not mention her to Elsie when they were simply friends and colleagues. However, once he had proposed, once they were planning their new life together, he could have told her. He wished with all of his heart that he had. It was the dishonesty that had hurt Elsie most and the humiliation she had felt at the hands of Sarah, and so if he had only told her before, this could have all been avoided. Charles let out a desperate sob as he rested his head on his hands, praying that Elsie was safe and that she would come home soon.

######

"And what did the old trollop look like?" Beryl asked, as she poured them both another glass.

"Well … she wasn't altogether unpleasant looking … " Elsie said, slurring a little, as Beryl sat back down and joined her.

"Oh Elsie… come on now … you can do better than that … we both hate this woman remember … now … wasn't she just a little bit ugly?" Beryl laughed, determined to make her friend feel better.

"Well she did have sly eyes … you wouldn't trust her Beryl … that woman was not to be trusted …" Elsie said adamantly, slamming her glass of whisky down on the table. She hadn't meant to do so with such force and she jumped, having given herself a fright. Both Elsie and Beryl looked at each shocked, bursting into hysterics.

"I think we are a little tipsy Elsie ..." Beryl chuckled, taking another huge swig of liquor.

"I think you might be right Beryl … let's have another!" Elsie suggested, as she glugged down her whisky in one go.

Beryl shrieked with laughter as Elsie made her way to the sideboard to collect the bottle of whisky. As Elsie attempted to walk forward in a straight line, she kept staggering to the side. Eventually, she used one hand to hold herself up against the wall to make her way over to the bottle. As she turned triumphantly, holding the bottle in the air, Beryl cheered and gave her friend a warm round of applause.

######

As Elsie had walked away from Charles earlier in the evening, there was only one person she knew she could talk to; one person who would support her unconditionally, and that was her dear friend Beryl. The two women had become bosom buddies over the years and Elsie really needed Beryl now; she needed her common sense advice as well as her bolshie spirit. Elsie had cried all of the way to Downton. She snuck in the kitchen as she arrived; knowing that the evening dinner service would be in full flow. Beryl only had to take one look at her to know something was seriously wrong. She had immediately handed over the reins to Daisy and Ivy and she wrapped her arm around Elsie's shoulder and guided her friend up to the sanctuary of her bedroom on the servants corridor; it was the only place Beryl could think of where they would have total privacy. Elsie had told Beryl everything: from the wonderful afternoon she had enjoyed so much, through to the shocking revelations from Sarah and the embarrassment and hurt that had crushed her. Beryl had sympathised, laughed and drank with Elsie in equal measure. It was just what Elsie needed.

######

Charles stood and reached for his coat on the hook in the hallway. He could not sit a moment longer. He had hoped that Elsie simply needed a bit of space, a walk to get some fresh air. Yet she had been gone for hours and it was getting late, very late, having long since turned dark. He headed out of the cottage, firstly heading for the village. He would check everywhere and if there was no sign of Elsie, he would walk to Downton. If she only knew the reason he had jilted Sarah; the reason he had called off the engagement. He knew it would not reverse the pain she had suffered today; the disappointment and hurt she had felt. But surely when Elsie knew that she was the very reason he called off the wedding; surely she would understand a little more.

Charles had thought, all of those years ago, that he loved Sarah. They had courted for about a year, having met when Charles made one of his frequent visits to the wine merchants in Ripon. As Butler he had always prided himself on his good taste for wine. They had enjoyed many an afternoon in the tea shop with Sarah supposedly working, whilst all the time fussing over Charles and his sweet tooth. He had been happy for a time. However, all that changed when the Scottish whirlwind that was Elsie Hughes had walked through the doors of Downton. Charles had never believed in love at first sight; that was until he first set eyes on the dark-haired beauty with her Gaelic charms. He knew in an instant, as Elsie stood in front of him with all of her sass and fire, that this was true love and what he had felt for Sarah was simply a poor imitation. He felt dreadful about Sarah, of course he did, but it would not have been fair to string her along for another moment. He loved Elsie Hughes and he knew that his heart was lost to her forever. The cruel irony, of course, was that he could not tell her; he could never declare his love to the beautiful Housekeeper; well not for twenty years at least.

######

"Bloody men … they are all the same …" Beryl said woefully.

The two women had now vacated their seats by Beryl's side table and instead were both lying back on the bed, very sloshed and looking slightly dishevelled. One of Elsie's legs was hanging off the side of the small single bed, happily swaying back and forth as the women chatted together and put the world to rights. The bed was so narrow that when they laughed too heartily, they both had to grip onto the bed sheets to stop themselves falling on the floor.

"But that's just it Beryl … I thought my Charles was different … I didn't think he would ever lie to me …" Elsie said sadly.

"They just don't know how to tell the flaming truth … why do they always have to make things so complicated … just tell us the flipping truth and be done with it!" Beryl shouted.

"He will be wondering where I am …" Elsie said worriedly.

"He'll be fretting ... make no mistake … he is probably out looking for you as we speak … Elsie … don't shoot the messenger but … well Charles did not actually lie to you …" Beryl said, as much as she wanted to support her friend, she also wanted the newly married couple to get through this and back on track.

"No … not exactly … but he should have told me about Sarah … he should not have allowed me to sit in that tea shop … all the while he must have been looking over his shoulder to see if she was there … why did he not just tell me right there in the street when I suggested that tea shop?" Elsie asked her friend, as she took another warming sip of whisky.

"Oh you know Charles … he isn't exactly forthcoming with his words … his feelings … he was probably scared of ruining your afternoon … he probably hoped to spare you any hurt …" Beryl said, sympathetically.

"Well that worked out well didn't it?" Elsie said ironically.

"Well one thing is for sure … he never meant to hurt you Elsie … he loves you so much and you know it … has he been foolish? Yes certainly … but he is not a bad man and he did not mean to cause you any pain …" Beryl said, her brain was a little muddled with the drink but she was proud, and a little surprised, that she had managed to articulate that point well.

"I know he didn't … I was just so hurt … and embarrassed … mortified in fact for her to be telling me things about my husband that were a complete surprise to me …" Elsie said, shaking her head, thinking about the smug smile on Sarah's face as she dropped one bombshell after another.

"Well if anything … the whole thing just shows how innocent and naïve Charles is …" Beryl slurred, topping up Elsie's glass and then her own.

"How do you work that out?" Elsie asked, coughing as the glug of whisky she had just drank caught in her throat.

"Well … only Charles Carson could take his new wife for afternoon tea in the tea shop owned by his former fiancé …" Beryl said, trying to be serious but grinning at Elsie at the ridiculousness of that situation.

Elsie covered her face with her hands and at first Beryl thought she was going to start crying again. Beryl reached out to hold Elsie's hand, only to hear waves of laughter coming from her friend, as she looked up at Beryl. The firm friends squealed with delight; they simply could not stop. They were quite overcome with hysteria; who knows whether it was the whisky or the tensions of the day; it was most likely a combination of both. Elsie could not remember the last time she had laughed so heartily. It was the tonic she needed.

After they had both eventually calmed, Elsie looked to Beryl, puzzlement on her face,

"It just doesn't make any sense Beryl … Charles is not some callous heart-breaker … why on earth did he call off the engagement?" Elsie asked, genuinely baffled.

"Oh Elsie … you don't have to be Hercule Poirot to work that one out …" Beryl answered.

Elsie was still no wiser and repeated, "Why?"

"Well obviously I don't know for sure … but I would wager that a certain Scottish lassie arrived at Downton and stole Charles Carson's heart …" Beryl smiled.

"Me?" Elsie asked astonished.

"You …" said the deep-voiced Butler in the doorway.


	28. Chapter 28

Chapter 28

Elsie gazed at Charles standing in the doorway. She was still hazy with drink and her emotions fraught.

She still could not believe what he had just said; she was the reason he called off his engagement to Sarah. That had never even occurred to her; it was twenty years ago for heaven's sake. Charles had always loved her; tears welled in her eyes at that thought. She looked at her husband across the room; he looked so sad and humbled. She knew he had not meant to cause her any hurt. He had been foolish certainly but that was all.

Elsie made to get up off the bed, as did Beryl. They were both unsteady on their feet. Not surprising really, as the empty bottle of whisky lay on the bed.

"I'll leave you both to it …" Beryl smiled, as she walked towards the door. She had to reach out and grab Charles's arm to stabilise herself.

"Are you sure you are ok Beryl? We could go somewhere else … this is your bedroom … perhaps you should have a lie down …" Charles said kindly.

"No … don't be daft … I could do with a glass of water and a little fresh air … you both stay here as long as you want … we may have drank a little too much whisky …" she whispered to Charles, turning around to wink at Elsie. Charles smiled at the Cook and nodded with a grin.

"Thank you for everything Beryl … you are a true friend … " Elsie called across the room.

"You are more than welcome …" Beryl replied, as she walked out of the door.

"Oooh just one more thing …" the Cook said, as she popped her head back through the door.

"No building any bird tables in here … if you know what I mean!" Beryl shrieked with laughter at her own joke as she made her way down the corridor.

Charles and Elsie both giggled at her parting shot. They were both gazing at each other, neither had yet spoken. Charles closed the door.

"I am so sorry Elsie … I should have told you …" he began, his voice cracking with emotion.

She could not bear it; he looked lost and so worried. She took a couple of unsteady steps forward, reaching up to wrap her arms around her husband's neck and hugging him tightly. Charles was overcome with relief, as he held Elsie closely. They were both holding each other so snugly; both needing reassurance that everything was alright. Charles let out the sob he had been holding back since he entered the bedroom. Elsie could feel him shaking.

"Oh Charles … it is ok … it is ok … I am sorry too … I should never have stormed off like that …" Elsie said.

She ran her hands through his hair and whispered words of comfort over and over to her man to soothe him. She then leant back a little, Charles still holding her snugly; he never wanted to let go of his wife ever again. She held his face in both hands, and gently wiped the tears away with her gentle touch.

"I thought I had ruined everything … I wasn't sure you would ever forgive me …" he said, through the last of his tears.

"Oh Charles … I was just upset … and embarrassed … I felt such a fool in front of Sarah … I wish you had just told me …" Elsie said, with one hand on his chest and the other still softly stroking his face. She loved Charles so much and could not bear to see him like this.

"I should have told you … I don't know why I didn't … let me tell you now Elsie … you deserve to know the whole truth now …" he said, taking a deep breath as he kissed his wife's cute little button nose and smiled down at her, through watery eyes. He began to gain control over his emotions, as his breathing steadied.

She continued to smile at him lovingly. The effects of the whisky had worn off a little although she knew she remained a little under the influence. Charles gently guided her to sit down on the end of the bed. As he joined her, he swiftly picked up the empty bottle of whisky and placed it on the sideboard. Elsie bit her lip and smiled at him guiltily. He laughed.

"Was this bottle full when you started?" Charles asked, an amused grin on his face.

"I am afraid so … I was the tiniest bit drunk earlier … but it seems to be wearing off … although I still feel a little fuzzy …" Elsie admitted, as Charles smiled at her.

He wrapped one arm around his wife, holding her around the waist, as they sat snugly together on the end of Beryl's narrow bed. His other hand gently held her small hand in his, caressing her fingers as he started his explanation.

"I had courted Sarah for a year … and 6 months into that courtship I proposed … I thought I loved her … she was the first girl since Alice that I had liked … and we seemed quite happy … " Charles began.

As he spoke, his eyes never left Elsie's eyes. He soothed her, stroking her waist where his hand rested and gently caressing her hand in his. Every so often he would also place the sweetest of kisses on her forehead, her cheek and her lips as he continued.

"We had even began to plan our small wedding … but then … then you arrived at Downton … I had never believed in love at first sight … that was until the day you walked into that dining room … I remember it like it was yesterday … we were all having breakfast … and I turned to my left and there you were … the most beautiful woman I had ever laid eyes on ... I quickly tried to stand … and managed to knock my tea cup … spilling tea on the table in the process …" Charles smiled, remembering the effect she had had on him.

"I remember the tea cup … I thought you must be a little clumsy … but as you stood … you looked so serious and regal … I did not dare laugh ... as much as I wanted to … " she laughed warmly now, as she ran her thumb lightly across his hand.

"I know … that was the first time I saw you biting your lip … I knew you were stifling a giggle ... I was lost for words for once … I just stood there speechless … gazing at you … heaven knows what you thought of me … heaven knows what the rest of the staff thought of me … as I stood staring at you …" Charles continued, his entire body was warmed by the wonderful memories of their first meeting.

"I actually thought you were angry … I thought perhaps I should not have waltzed straight into the dining room … interrupting your breakfast … I thought I should say something as there was an unnerving silence …" Elsie smiled, recalling this encounter.

"I know … I was dumbstruck … and then when you spoke … and I heard that melodic Scottish brogue … well that was me done for … I literally fell head over heels in love with you on the spot … and I could barely say two words in response …" Charles chuckled, shaking his head at the memory of his flummoxed self.

"You were so adorable during my first week … I remember you were forever checking that I was ok … asking if there was anything you could do to help … coming to my sitting room to update me about this and that …" she remembered fondly, reaching up to give Charles a little kiss on the lips.

"I know … I would find any excuse to be near you … to talk to you … I had never felt such love before … such a pull to another person … I knew that I had to end things with Sarah … there was no way I could marry her now that I knew what real love felt like … it would not have been fair to her … but I felt so dreadful … she was devastated Elsie … I broke her heart …" Charles said sadly.

Elsie squeezed his hand and brought it to her lips. She then gently placed his hand on her knee and she reached up to take his face in her hand. She stroked his face lovingly, trying to soothe the hurt and the guilt she could see in his eyes.

"Did you see ever her again?" Elsie asked.

"Not until today in the tea shop …" he said truthfully.

"I cannot believe you were engaged … and you called it off because of me … you are the most honourable man Charles … and I had no idea … I thought you only saw me as a friend … and yet for twenty years …" Elsie began, but her voice broke as tears formed in her eyes.

"For twenty years … I was madly in love with my Scottish beauty … and you had my heart from that very first day … I could not tell you about Sarah of course … or I would have had to tell you why I had ended the engagement … and I could not declare my feelings … however much I wanted to … it would not have been right or proper … and so I buried my feelings … and only allowed them to resurface when the prospect of leaving Downton was real … but I never stopped loving you Elsie … and I have been the happiest man … the most blessed man on this earth to finally win your heart and have you as my wife …" he said sincerely, as she cupped his face once more and kissed him sweetly.

"I love you Charles Carson …" she said, smiling up at him, as tears glistened on her cheeks.

"I love you Elsie … and I am so sorry about today … I know how hurt you were … and whilst I could not tell you about Sarah whilst we were friends and colleagues … I should have certainly told you about her once we were married … the truth is … I have not thought about her at all over recent months … it just never occurred to me to mention her … and when you chose that tea shop … my heart was racing … but you were so excited and … and well … I just did not know how to tell you as we stood in the street … and then we had such a lovely afternoon …" he said, smiling lovingly at his wife.

"You daft man … you should have just told me … I am not naïve … I know that you have had romances before me … we could have gone to another tea shop … my goodness … you must have been so anxious … wondering if she would still be there …" she said, laughing lightly.

"I honestly nearly fainted when we first walked into the shop … not to mention when she called out my name …" Charles laughed, shaking his head wearily.

"You mean when she called you Charlie …" Elsie teased.

Charles finally started to relax. He knew that once Elsie started to tease again, he was forgiven.

"I thought you were going to explode when she kept calling me that …" he chuckled.

"I almost did … " she smiled, kissing him again.

This time he returned her kiss, deepening the embrace as he wrapped her up in his arms. He wanted to demonstrate to her just how sorry he was and just how much he loved her. Elsie murmured happily as Charles ran his hands all over her body and kissed her with a renewed passion. Charles Carson was hers; all hers and he had always been hers, long before she even knew it. She kissed him back just as furiously, standing without breaking the kiss as she pulled him up off the bed. She wanted to feel her whole body pressed up against him, as she staggered backwards, bringing him with her. He pushed her up against the door as he ravaged her with kisses, wanting and needing to make up for all of those lost years. He gripped her thigh, as his other hand ran through her hair and he devoured her mouth. All of the pent up emotion from the day was pouring out of them; the fear and pain coupled with the love and desire. Elsie ripped open Charles' shirt as he groaned against her neck. She could feel how aroused he was as he ground into her, pressing her hard against the door. Just as they were both about to lose the last shreds of control, they jumped, as they heard a loud tap against the door. They both stilled, their breathing laboured as they paused, still gripping each other lustily.

"Is it safe to come in? I have some tea for you …" Beryl said, from the corridor.

Charles leaned forward, his forehead resting on Elsie's as they looked into each other's eyes and both broke out into the most joyous laughter.


	29. Chapter 29

**A/N: Thank you for the reviews- they are so appreciated and they encourage me to keep writing.**

**There is m-ness in this chapter and so be warned if that's not for you - I just thought it was probably overdue and I felt I had short-changed you a little with the kitchen table scenario a few chapters ago! xxx**

Chapter 29

Elsie watched Charles happily through the kitchen window. He was out in the garden again but this time he was digging a huge hole at the far end of their small patch. Elsie had mentioned a few weeks back that she would love a pond; it was something she had always dreamed about as a little girl. After the events of yesterday, Charles was determined to give her the pond she had always wanted. He had been out in the garden since dawn; despite their exertions the night before, he had found the energy from somewhere. After Beryl's timely interruption they had enjoyed a cup of tea with the Cook, and headed home together. Elsie blushed remembering the two of them virtually falling up the path to their door, both very eager to divest the other of any clothes. Elsie was thrilled with this element of their relationship. She had known, as she married Charles Carson, that they loved each other very much but she could only hope that the two would we well-matched in the bedroom, or in any other room for that matter! It was beyond her wildest dreams how much they seemed to want each other. They may well be both approaching their dotage but there was no shortage of desire in that department, she happily thought.

Elsie dried her hands on her tea towel and went out to join Charles. He was so focused on his digging that he did not hear her approach. She ran her hand over his back as he worked. Charles jumped in pleasure when he realised his wife had joined him.

"What do you think?" Charles said proudly, pointing at the hole in the ground.

Elsie smiled inwardly, how on earth was she going to give an opinion on a ditch? But she knew she must, as he was so delighted with his work.

"It is coming along beautifully Charles … it is going to make a wonderful pond …" she said, flattering her man as she reached up to kiss him on the cheek.

She smiled as she spotted the book he had bought to help him with the task, he must have read every single detail of that book at least 3 times over the last few weeks. It now rested on an upturned box at the side of the hole.

"Should you not take a break Charles …" she said, as she rubbed his lower back, she knew all of this digging could not be doing his bad back any good at all.

"No … I am fine for the moment … I want to get the ditch finished today … and then I can put the liner down tomorrow …" he said happily.

Elsie stepped in front of him, resting her back against his chest as she beamed delightedly at the hole in the ground. She reached back to grasp his arms as she pulled them around her waist to hold her snugly.

"I am muddy Elsie … you'll get dirt on your clothes …" he warned, although there was nothing he wanted more than to hold his wife in his arms.

"I don't care about that …" she said, as she wound her arms over his. Charles smiled and rested his chin on the top of Elsie's head, she was the perfect fit for this cuddle and Charles loved every second of holding her against his chest.

"Shall I tell you what I have planned?" he asked excitedly.

"Yes … I would love that …" Elsie said eagerly, as they both gazed at the hole in the ground.

"I am going to place rocks and pebbles around the outside … all different sizes … there is a shop in Ripon that sells them … then at that far side I am going to plant some reed sweet grass and some water forget-me-nots … they both thrive in water and it will give that side of the pond a lovely blue colour … your favourite …" he began, as Elsie listened excitedly.

"Then on this side we are going to have some pepper grass and star grass … to give the pond some shelter … and then some lady's mantle and some purple glory over here … another favourite colour of yours and they also smell lovely … and then we will finish the pond with some beautiful water lilies as requested by my beautiful wife …" he finished.

"Oh Charles … that sounds wonderful … thank you …" she said, turning to give him the sweetest thank you kiss. Ever since she was a small girl and had read a story that talked of frogs jumping from one water lily to the next, she had always dreamed that one day, if she ever had her own home, she would have a pond with water lilies. She had never thought that it would come true but now it was taking shape before her eyes.

She reached her arms around his neck and kissed Charles again. She loved her husband so much and the unsettling situation in the tea shop yesterday had only served to make her appreciate Charles even more. As she deepened the kiss and teased Charles' lips in between her teeth, her husband groaned against her mouth.

"Elsie … umm … Elsie … we can't … I need to finish digging this hole …" he said against her mouth, although Elsie noted happily that he was still fondling her bottom as he said those words.

"Surely … you could finish this later …" she breathed against his mouth, as she moved her lips to his neck, covering it in small bites and nibbling his earlobe which she had learned that he loved.

Charles moaned loudly against her hair as she continued to suck and bite his neck.

"Elsie … oh goodness me … Elsie … oh … we need to stop … I need to finish …." Charles' words trailed off as all rational thought left his mind. He became more and more aroused as his wife continued her advances. I am the luckiest man on earth, he thought dreamily, to have a wife who so obviously wants me, and my god, I want her.

As Charles continued to run his hands up and down her back, seizing her bottom far too firmly but he had lost all restraint, he noted that unbeknownst to him she had already undone several buttons on his shirt and her hands were now running all over his bare chest. He was beginning to come undone himself, never mind his shirt, as she made her way back to his lips, teasing them gently.

Elsie stopped kissing him for a moment but her hands continued to caress his chest. She looked up at Charles coyly, her beautiful eyelashes fluttering at her husband and asked innocently,

"Would you like me to stop now my love … so you can finish your digging?" she asked, trying to keep a serious expression on her face but there was a hint of a smile, as she bit her lip.

"You are a very naughty woman Mrs Carson …" he growled, as he tore open her blouse, and clenching her breast in his hand, he caressed it until he felt her nipple harden through the silk.

Elsie was murmuring with pleasure as he fondled her, and she ran her tongue along the top of his mouth and kissed his lips.

"Perhaps you should spank me Mr Carson?" she teased, as his attentions now focused on her other breast.

"Ye gods Elsie! You need to warn me when you are going to say something like that!" he shouted at the top of his lungs, as his most sensitive part grew even harder against her. He playfully slapped her bottom as she giggled against his mouth. She was thankful, in that moment, that there was no other cottages for at least another mile; as at least no-one would hear their lustful cries.

"So you are absolutely sure you don't want to stop and finish the pond?" she said breathlessly as she pressed herself more firmly against him, and moved one of her hands to rub his growing desire through his trousers. Charles jerked suddenly, as he sucked and licked the silk that covered her breasts. It felt so enticing against his lips but her hand massaging his most sensitive part felt just as wonderful.

"Will you shut up about that bloody pond … don't you dare stop …" he grinned, his eyes clouded in lust as he gathered Elsie to him. As Elsie staggered backwards towards the kitchen door, both were moaning wildly as hands ran a mock over every inch of each other's bodies.

"Let's … umm … here … umm … on the kitchen table … again …" she muttered in between frantic kisses. She had felt so wanton the last time they had made love here … Muriel and Harold had been upstairs … but this time they were free to scream as loudly as they wanted to and she knew, at any rate, neither was going to make it to the bedroom.

Charles was only too happy to oblige as he lifted her up onto the table in one smooth movement, reaching under her skirt to remove her underwear. She grappled with his trousers, undoing first his belt and then his buttons, as they fell down his legs. She could see her husband was more than ready as she pushed down his underpants and he gripped her legs pulling them around his waist. She crossed her legs behind him, squeezing him tightly, as he entered her in one long thrust.

"Oh Charles!" she screamed, as he filled her so fully and began to drive into her over and over again. Her fingers dug into his back as his mouth latched onto one breast and he established a delicious rhythm. This was not the tender lovemaking that they often enjoyed, this was sheer animal lust and both knew it. He plunged into her with some force as he shouted her name repeatedly; Elsie thought she may pass out with the utter pleasure that was building inside her.

"Is this too much Elsie? Please tell me if this is too much ..." he panted.

"It's not too much ... oh lord ... it's wonderful ... harder Charles ... even harder ..." she cried, as her husbands eyes dilated with lust.

He had never wanted his wife more and he was going to have her as hard and as long as he could possible manage. He moved back to her mouth, biting and sucking furiously. They were both gasping for breath, covered in perspiration, as their lips broke apart and Charles grasped Elsie's hips to allow him to pound into her, even more deeply. He had never taken her so forcefully before but my god, he had dreamed of this, dreamed of wildly taking Elsie across the dining room table at Downton. Her cries spurred him on more; she was shrieking in heightened pleasure as she wrapped her arms around his neck and bit down on his shoulder as her excitement reached its peak.

"Yes ... yes ... oh my god yes ... Elsie ... oh yes ..." he shouted as she arched her back, riding him, as slammed into her over and over again, fiercely gripping her bottom, as he neared his release and Elsie screamed in ecstasy. She leant back to look into her husband's eyes as he plunged into her one last time, and with their eyes locked together, they both fell over the edge gasping each other's names in unadulterated joy.

They both clung to each other as they enjoyed the wonderful afterglow, both completely spent and Elsie still perched on the edge of the kitchen table. No words could do justice to how they both felt. They both held each other tightly, their breathing was still erratic. As Elsie leaned backwards to look at her husband, they both smiled mischievously at the other, happy but exhausted. Elsie was the first to attempt to form a coherent sentence, as she kissed her husband soundly,

"Charles … that was just … oh … you were just … oh god … you were magnificent … thank you my gorgeous man …" she sighed, a sloppy smile on her face as she kissed her husband passionately again.

"As were you my Scottish angel … you were ... oh ... you were ... unbelievable ... and if I had known that building a pond would have that effect on you … I would have started digging long before now …" he laughed, hugging her too him.

He would have once felt ungentlemanly for taking his wife in such a lustful manner but not now, not now that he knew how much they both wanted it. They both collapsed happily against each other, enjoying this embrace and not wanting to move at all just yet. To be fair, neither knew if they would ever be able to move again. Unbeknownst to the other, as they both rested, completely sated, they had the exact same thought; retirement was simply the best thing they had ever done.


	30. Chapter 30

Chapter 30

"Umm … I think we should just stay like this all day …" Charles said contentedly, as he hugged Elsie to his chest. The early morning sun was shining through the gap in their curtains.

"I would love that Charles … but I promised I would drop-in on Mrs Crawley …" Elsie said, as she nestled into her husband's chest.

"Can't you visit her tomorrow instead?" Charles asked, kissing Elsie's hair.

Elsie sat up, resting her head on her hand, her other hand gently stroking his chest. Charles smiled as he ran his fingers through her luscious hair. It was one of the most thrilling things about their new life together; the fact that he got to see Elsie with her beautiful hair down, as well as feel it brush against his skin. In over twenty years at Downton he had never had this pleasure.

"I promised her I would pop in today … I wouldn't want to let Mrs Crawley down … she still gets lonely sometimes …" Elsie smiled at her husband.

Charles wondered what he had ever done to be blessed with such a kind-hearted wife.

"Then you must go my love …" he said, as he cupped her face in his hands and kissed her sweetly on the lips.

Charles let his hand gently caress her cheek, then he ran his fingers gently down her neck and then across her bare shoulders. Her skin was like silk, so soft beneath his fingers. As he reached, the top of the bed sheets, which were covering Elsie's modesty, he began to pull back the cover. He and Elsie were naked beneath the sheets, having enjoyed an encore yesterday evening following their lust-fuelled adventure in the kitchen. As he gently pulled the covers away from Elsie, she grasped them in her hands to pull them back.

"Charles!" she cried.

"What's wrong?" he asked innocently.

"Nothing is wrong … I am just still not used to you seeing me naked …" Elsie said shyly.

"Elsie … I hate to break this to you … but I have now seen you naked hundreds of times … and I am here to tell you that it is the most beautiful sight I have ever seen …" he smiled excitedly.

Elsie knew she was being ridiculous; she should have got over this by now. They had made love numerous times and, of course, Charles had seen every inch of her. Yet, it did not matter how many times they had been naked together; it was her nakedness when they weren't making love, in the cold light of day, that made her feel most nervous. She did not even want to see herself naked in the harsh sunlight never mind Charles seeing her naked!

"I just feel a little exposed … you can see all of my fat and wrinkles in the light!" Elsie said truthfully.

"Elsie … you are the most perfect woman to me … so, so beautiful … and your body is stunning … there is not a single man in Downton who would not give his right arm to wake up next to you … yet I am the lucky man who does!" Charles said, beaming genuinely at his wife.

"You are a soppy old devil aren't you?" Elsie said, stroking Charles' face.

Charles leaned over his wife and kissed her gently on the lips.

"You are perfect Elsie … perfect in every way …" he smiled, kissing her again.

"Oh Charles thank you … even if it's not true … I appreciate the sentiment …" she said, giggling and shaking her head.

"It is true … may I?" he asked. He remained leaning over her, as he planted the tiniest of kisses to her face. He was holding the top of the bed sheets in his hand.

Elsie scrunched her face in embarrassment and bit her lip.

"Please?" Charles said, smiling lovingly at his wife.

Elsie covered her face with her hands, her nose still wrinkled as she hesitantly said, "Go on then".

Charles smiled happily down at her, thinking how adorable she looked still covering her face with her hands and her eyes tightly closed shut. She looked so young and playful. He peeled the covers back to reveal his wife's wonderful body. It did Elsie's confidence no harm at all to hear the hoarse groan that escaped from her husband. She tentatively opened one eye, as he softly ran his fingers all over her body. She could see the desire in his eyes as he continued to caress her. His fingers gently ran over her tummy and she giggled at his touch. He grinned, knowing he was tickling her.

"Perfect …" he whispered.

He then increased his tickling and was delighted to hear Elsie's joyous cries, as he used both of his hands to make her laugh. Elsie reached out and hugged him close as they both rolled over on the bed and enjoyed a blissful smooch until it was time for Elsie to go into the village.

######

"I'm home Charles!" Elsie shouted, as she came through the front door.

There was no reply and so she presumed he must be in the garden. She was excited to tell him her surprise. She knew how much he cared for Lady Mary and although the young woman was not always a favourite of Elsie's, she respected just how much she meant to her husband.

Elsie walked through to the kitchen and sure enough, spotted her husband outside working on the pond. She blushed remembering her forwardness yesterday afternoon. She giggled realising that she could not seem to resist her husband.

She tapped on the window and waved happily at her husband. Charles smiled broadly at his wife; he was so pleased to see her. He smiled inwardly realising how much he missed her when she was not at home; despite the fact she could not have been gone more than two hours. He walked towards the house to see his wife.

His hands were covered in dirt and so he reached down to welcome her with a lovely kiss, taking care not to dirty her clothes.

"What's all this then?" he asked happily, pointing to the bags of groceries on the counter.

"I thought I would make us a lovely dinner tonight … I am going to make us a nice suet pudding … you said it was your favourite didn't you?" Elsie asked proudly, with a happy grin.

Elsie knew she was no great cook, she was still learning, having never had to cook for the whole of her adult life. When you were in service your meals were always cooked for you. However, she had picked up tips from Beryl over the years and she felt she was improving. She was also very grateful to Charles who did not seem to mind her limitations in this area one bit and he kindly gobbled up every last morsel of even her most disastrous attempts at cooking. She had been delighted when he had enjoyed her suet pudding so much; he had genuinely seemed to like it.

"I certainly did my love … it was scrumptious …" he beamed, giving her another sweet kiss.

Elsie was warmed by this compliment. Charles looked at his wife with utter love. Heaven knows he had not married Elsie for her cooking, just as well, he thought with a grin! Luckily he had an ironclad stomach and whatever she put down in front of him, he devoured with a smile. There had been a couple of meals that had tested even his stamina but he was so happy and he loved Elsie so much, the last thing he wanted to do was upset her when she was trying so hard. Therefore, he always made sure to compliment her cooking and he could see she was growing in confidence. Truth be told, any meal that had not been incinerated or set on fire, was a success in Elsie's book. The suet pudding had been far from nice if Charles was honest; in fact it had been fairly disgusting; it had a peculiar texture as he remembered, a little like rubber and it tasted like rotten cabbage and old, smelly socks. However, when he had seen her proud smile as she had served it to him, her pretty face full of anticipation and hope, he had praised it to high heaven.

"Good … I hope they like it as much as you ..." Elsie chirped, delighted that she had chosen this meal for their special guests.

Charles looked at Elsie in surprised horror, taking an anxious gulp of air, as he forced a tense smile. He asked nervously,

"Is someone joining us Elsie?"

"Yes … I bumped into Lady Mary at Mrs Crawley's house … I know how much you miss her … even though you don't like to admit it … so I asked her and Mr Branson around for dinner this evening … and she said yes …" Elsie beamed, reaching up to kiss her husband excitedly. She knew how much he would appreciate this.

Charles stood speechless, smiling at his wife and trying to contain the hysteria that threatened. Oh dear god, he thought, what am I going to do now? No-one in their right mind would eat that suet pudding; only someone who loves their wife very much!

"Are you pleased?" Elsie asked, enthusiastically.

"Very pleased …" Charles said, through clenched teeth.

"Right … well I best get on then … I'll need to make a larger pudding I think ... for the four of us … and Mr Branson has quite an appetite … he might want seconds …" she said, grinning eagerly.

Charles gave a panicked laugh as he stood dumbstruck, his only thought was 'Oh dear god!'

**A/N: Thank you once again for the lovely reviews. I am not sure if I should keep this story going as I would not want to drag it out if people are tired of it- it has somehow reached 30 chapters already! Let me know either way - I promise I won't be offended! x**


	31. Chapter 31

Chapter 31

Elsie was pottering away in the kitchen, excitedly preparing the beginnings of the meal for their guests. Lady Mary and Mr Branson were not expected for another few hours but she thought it best to get ahead. She was happily humming away to herself as she worked. It was an unusual occasion to have members of the Family to dinner; she knew that Charles would think it inappropriate in many ways; he and Elsie had been servants to the Grantham's after all. However, she also knew that he had a soft spot for Lady Mary and therefore he would enjoy catching up on her news. It will certainly feel odd to be sat at the same dinner table as Lady Mary and Mr Branson but as far as Elsie was concerned they were retired now, no longer servants, and therefore it was fine to bend the accepted rules a little.

Charles walked silently up and down the hallway trying to think of what to do about the dinner. As far as he was concerned the choices available to him were both horrific; he could say nothing to Elsie and allow Lady Mary and Mr Branson to endure a foul-tasting meal or he could tell Elsie that the suet pudding really was quite unpleasant and face her wrath for lying to her! Oh dear, he thought, what am I going to do? Charles had lied to Elsie with the best of intentions. He had seen how proud she had been with her efforts and he wanted to praise her and build her confidence. He knew he could not let her serve that dish to anyone but how could he stop her without upsetting her? He wondered if he could persuade her to un-invite their guests; that would solve the problem without her knowing that the suet pudding had tasted foul. Yes, he thought, I'll try that.

"How are things going my love?" Charles asked as he entered the kitchen.

"Quite well thank you … how many vegetables do you thing I should do to accompany the pudding?" she asked happily.

"Umm … I am not sure … actually Elsie … I was thinking … I don't think it's right for Lady Mary to join us for dinner … wont it be uncomfortable for us to sit at the same table as her … we are used to serving her dinner?" Charles said.

"Well I am not used to serving her dinner but I know what you mean … but Charles ... we are retired now … surely we can sit down and have a bite to eat together …." Elsie said, she had known he would find this difficult but she knew he would enjoy it eventually.

"But she's a lady Elsie … do you not think it improper? I think maybe we should cancel …" Charles said cautiously.

"Cancel? We cannot do that … Charles ... I invited her and she said yes … she said she was looking forward to it …" Elsie explained.

"I know … but I really do think it might be best if we called it off Elsie … I am not sure it's right ... we are from different worlds …" Charles replied.

As he looked at Elsie he could see she was crestfallen. He felt a pain in his heart as he observed her disappointment. She had thought she was doing something nice for him; to invite Lady Mary for dinner. She knew how much she meant to Charles. Heaven knows, Elsie was not her biggest fan. She had offered the dinner invitation for his sake, which only served to make him feel even worse as he stood looking at the despondent expression on his wife's face. However, he had to remember why he was doing this; he was trying to spare her the embarrassment of cooking such a disagreeable meal for their guests. He was actually trying to protect her, not hurt her.

"I thought you would enjoy seeing Lady Mary … I invited her for you Charles … I thought this would be a lovely evening for you … I know how fond you are of her …" Elsie said, sadly.

"And I am very grateful Elsie … I really am … and I am fond of her …" he said. He felt dreadful.

"Well then why don't you want her to come to dinner?" she asked, disappointment lacing her voice.

Oh dear god, he could not bear to see Elsie so hurt; he would do anything not to see her so saddened. He felt absolutely terrible; he could not do this to her. He loved Elsie with all of his heart and despite her being an atrocious cook, she had invited Lady Mary and Mr Branson to dinner with the most sincere of intentions. She was so enthusiastic about the dinner and now he was ruining it. Would it really be that bad if the dinner was not perfect? Perhaps this time the suet pudding would taste nice?

"I am sorry Elsie … I am being an old fool … you know what I am like … too stuck in ways when it comes to propriety and what is proper … of course Lady Mary and Tom should come to dinner … and I am very much looking forward to it …" he said reassuringly.

"Are you sure?" she asked.

"I am very sure … please accept my apologies Elsie … you are married to an old-fashioned goat … that is all …" he smiled, making fun of himself.

She smiled too. She had known he would find the dinner a little peculiar but she was happy to see he had now come around to the idea. She reached up to give him a big hug. He held her lovingly as he whispered sweet endearments to her.

"Right … you go and have a rest in the sitting room Charles … let me get on …" she smiled.

######

It was now just two hours until their guests would arrive and Charles was still no nearer to finding a solution to the nightmare they faced. In just two hours their guests would sit down to a meal lovingly cooked by his wife; a woman with the sweetest and most generous heart imaginable. This beautiful woman thought she was cooking their guests a delicious meal; when in fact she was cooking them probably the most repulsive meal they would ever eat! Now you are exaggerating Charles, he thought to himself. Was it really that bad? After a few seconds more thought Charles confirmed to himself that it really was that bad! Well, the vegetables would surely taste agreeable, he thought rationally. Even Elsie could not ruin vegetables; but the suet pudding ... Beryl! Charles suddenly thought, why had he not thought of this before. Perhaps Beryl could come and help Elsie with the meal; perhaps she could turn the suet pudding into something edible?

"Elsie …." Charles called through to the kitchen.

"Yes Charles?" she shouted back.

"I am just going for a little fresh air … I thought a walk would build my appetite for dinner …." he explained.

"Yes lovely … you enjoy it … and I hope you are hungry … this pudding smells wonderful …" she said proudly.

"Oh lovely … I wont be too long Elsie …" he said, laughing nervously as he stepped through the front door.

Run Charles, you need to get Beryl and fast!

######

"But how are we going to explain why I am here?" Beryl asked, as she and Charles walked speedily to the cottage.

"Just say I bumped into you and you thought you would pop in to say hello … and then somehow ask her about the dinner … and then please do something to rescue it Beryl … if anyone can work a miracle in the kitchen then it is you …" Charles said, relieved to have Beryl with him.

"Charles … is this suet pudding that bad?" Beryl laughed as they continued to near the cottage.

The look on the former Butler's face said it all. Beryl giggled as he replied,

"It's worse than bad Beryl … it was the most horrible thing I have ever tasted in my life …" he said.

"Then why did you pretend you liked it … you old fool …" Beryl stated, smiling as she shook her head.

"Because she had tried so hard Beryl … and she worries about her cooking … I wanted to help build her confidence … and well … because I love her very much …" Charles finished, sincerely.

"You are a foolish but sweet man Charles Carson … and Elsie is very lucky to have you …" she smiled, as Charles blushed.

######

"May I have a little taste Elsie?" Beryl asked gently.

"Yes of course … I hope you like it Beryl … it won't be up to your standards of course … but Charles liked it … please be honest ... as I want it to be nice for Lady Mary and Tom …" Elsie explained cheerfully, as she handed the Cook a teaspoon.

Charles was upstairs in their bedroom. He thought it was best to keep out of the way. As Beryl lifted the small helping of suet pudding to her mouth, Elsie looked at her in anticipation. The Cook took one bite, it was all she needed, as she began to cough and splutter all over the kitchen. Her face had turned red, as she tried to swallow the revolting morsel. She looked at Elsie in despair as she regained her composure.

"Elsie … do you really want me to be honest?" Beryl asked.

"Yes of course …" Elsie replied.

"Elsie … it's bloody awful!" Beryl said truthfully, trying to maintain the giggles that threatened.

"Is it really that bad?" Elsie said, her friend's honesty was one of the things she most respected about Beryl, so she could not be offended now that she was on the receiving end of that honesty.

"It's worse than bad Elsie … my god … it could poison a donkey!" Beryl said seriously.

At that, Elsie dissolved into fits of laughter, as Beryl joined her. The two women were doubled-up with joy, shrieking together as they both looked at the sorry mess in front of them, it even looked disgusting.

"What am I going to do Beryl?" Elsie asked, through her tears of laughter.

"Don't worry … we'll sort something …" Beryl said, as she began to calm. She then looked at the dish in front of her and began to giggle again. That set Elsie off again too as she laughed hysterically.

"Charles said he liked it!" Elsie added.

Beryl bit her lip and looked knowingly at Elsie. Realisation dawned on her friend.

"He didn't like it! Oh my goodness! The daft man … I'll kill him … oh … and he didn't just bump into you either … oh my goodness … what is he like … why didn't he just tell me …" Elsie said, shaking her head as she smiled at her husband's fibs. She knew exactly why he had not said anything, the dear, lovely man. She loved him even more in that moment.

"Oh he's a kind man Elsie … daft but kind … but shall we have a little fun with him?" Beryl teased.

**A/N: Thank you for the wonderful reviews and your kind words- I shall keep this story going for now! x**


	32. Chapter 32

Chapter 32

"Any luck?" Charles whispered hopefully to Beryl in the hallway.

"No luck I am afraid Charles … she wouldn't let me anywhere near the pudding … she said it would spoil it if she took it out of the oven too early … I tried everything Charles I am sorry …" Beryl said, seriously.

"Oh … no need to be sorry Beryl … you tried your best …" Charles said despondently.

"Try not to worry Charles … maybe it won't be as bad as last time …" Beryl added.

"Yes … perhaps not …" Charles agreed, in the most unconvincing tone.

"Try and enjoy the meal … Elsie is really looking forward to it …" Beryl said with a smile.

######

"Charles … are we having red or white wine?" Elsie asked.

She was laying the table and wanted to ensure she used the right glasses.

"Red wine Elsie … to complement the beef in the suet pudding …" Charles said.

He chuckled ironically, thinking that no wine on earth would complement that pudding. However, he made sure to choose the strongest wine he had; hoping that if they all got drunk the pudding might not taste so bad.

"Ok lovely … does the table meet with your approval Charles?" Elsie asked excitedly, other than Muriel and Harold, Lady Mary and Tom were the first guests they had entertained and she was quite looking forward to it. Obviously Beryl often came to the cottage but normally she visited during the day, for a cup of tea and cake, rather than a meal.

"It looks perfect Elsie …" he smiled at his wife.

As Charles gazed at his wife, he was overcome with love. Yes, the meal was most probably going to be a disaster. Lady Mary and Tom Branson might well keel over when they tasted that pudding and yes, Charles knew that he would feel mortal embarrassment when they tasted it, as disloyal to his wife as that sounded. However, he knew that Elsie had gone to a huge amount of trouble to make this evening a success and she had done all of this: the cooking, the lovely table setting, the new blouse she was wearing; all for him. Elsie wanted him to have a lovely evening with Lady Mary. He walked across to his wife,

"Whatever happens tonight Elsie … I could not love you any more … just remember that …" he said tenderly.

"Whatever do you mean Charles? What is going to happen? Surely you don't think I am going to lose my temper with Lady Mary … she may not be my favourite person but we do both have one thing in common you know …." Elsie smiled cheekily.

"And what is that my beautiful girl?" Charles grinned, as he kissed Elsie on the lips.

"Well it is obvious … we both love a former Butler with a deep, booming voice!" Elsie said happily, reciprocating Charles' kiss.

"I love you too Elsie … and I appreciate you inviting Lady Mary to dinner … and all of the effort you have made …" he said genuinely.

"It was my pleasure Charles … I just hope they like the meal … I know it is probably plainer than what they are used to …" Elsie said anxiously, trying not to laugh at his strained expression.

"Well even if they don't like it Elsie … it has been cooked with much love so that is all that matters …" Charles said, attempting to cushion the blow for later. He only hoped Lady Mary and Mr Branson would retain their manners and not upset Elsie. He wished he had told her now how terrible the pudding had tasted but it was far too late to even contemplate telling Elsie now.

######

Lady Mary and Tom had arrived half an hour ago and were enjoying pre-dinner drinks in the sitting room with their hosts. Charles was endeavouring to force as much wine down their throats as possible; his only remaining hope being to dull their taste buds into submission. He was surprised by how naturally the conversation had flowed; it still felt odd to be talking to Lady Mary and Tom so casually, however they were all quite relaxed with each other.

"This is a wonderful wine Carson … I am presuming you chose it …" Lady Mary smiled. She still could not call him Charles, it just did not seem right.

"He did indeed … hell will freeze over before he allows me to choose the wine …" Elsie joked.

Charles chuckled too as he beamed at his wife, sitting beside him on the sofa. Lady Mary's heart swelled with happiness, as she watched her favourite Butler gaze at his wife so lovingly. She was thrilled that he had found such joy; and with the woman that had been right under his nose all along. They were a perfect match, she thought delightedly.

"Ah but I am certain if a selection of whisky was needed … you would have that honour Mrs Hughes ..." Tom smiled.

"Quite right Mr Branson … quite right …" Charles said happily.

"Shall we go through to dinner? It is nothing grand I am afraid …" she said modestly, as she rose from the settee.

"I am sure it will be delicious Mrs Hughes …" Tom said, as all four walked through to the kitchen.

Charles looked at Mr Branson with a weary smile, thinking he was about to get the surprise of his life if he thought the meal would be delicious.

######

They had all helped themselves to the vegetables and now it was time for Elsie to dish up the pudding. Charles sat, tapping his fingers on the table, a bag of nerves waiting for Lady Mary and Tom to taste it. As Elsie began to serve Lady Mary, Charles shrieked, fairly hysterically,

"Just a small portion for Lady Mary Elsie … it is quite filling …" he said anxiously.

Elsie was finding it very hard to control her giggles but she must if she was going to have a little fun with her husband.

"He just wants more for himself Lady Mary … this pudding is Charles' favourite … there you go my love … you can have the biggest portion …" she trilled happily.

Charles seemed to actually turn green as he realised that he was going to have to eat the gigantic mound of pudding on his plate. Again, he laughed nervously, smiling at Elsie. Tom and Mary caught each other's gaze as they smiled at Elsie's slip of the tongue, calling Charles 'my love'. The older couple are simply adorable, Mary thought fondly.

"Are you ok Charles … you look a bit pale?" Elsie said quite seriously.

"Yes … yes … thank you Elsie … I am fine …" he said, forcing a smile.

Lady Mary and Tom Branson were both about to put the first forkful of suet pudding in their mouths. Elsie could barely contain her mirth as she looked at her husband who was watching their guests intently. He looked so flustered as if he might well combust at any moment! The poor man is beside himself, Elsie thought. She actually felt a bit mean for teasing him like this; however, despite thinking that her pudding is disgusting, he is about to let Lady Mary and Tom eat it! She knew he was doing this to spare her feelings but even so.

Charles stared at their guests, waiting for their reaction, and thinking perhaps they may throw up. Yet, he was totally perplexed to see them eating forkful after forkful quite happily. Where he expected to hear cries of horror or expletives, instead he heard murmurs of approval and compliments. Charles looked at his wife quite flabbergasted, only to see her basking in their praise. He wondered if Lady Mary and Mr Branson were so drunk that they could not taste the pudding properly; something just did not add up, Charles thought confused, they had not drank that much wine. He decided to risk his first forkful. Elsie watched him smugly, biting her lip. She could see how hesitant he was to put the morsel in his mouth. Look at his face; she thought with amusement, my goodness, my previous pudding must have been hideous! As Charles finally put the food in his mouth, Elsie could see his look of total astonishment as his brain caught up with his taste buds. This was nice; he thought in total shock, this actually tasted nice.

"Is something wrong Charles … you look a little surprised?" she said, a smile now curling at her lips.

"No … nothing is wrong … this is lovely Elsie … it really is …" he blustered, not meaning to sound so shocked.

"Oh that's good … I was worried that it may not be as nice as my last effort …" she said playfully.

Charles smiled at Elsie, there was something about that mischievous tone. Oh my goodness, she knows. He was incredulous … she knows and she let me think we were about to taste something horrific! He knew something was going on and he knew immediately that Beryl had helped her after all; Elsie certainly had not cooked this meal! He stared at her open-mouthed as she giggled cheerfully. As his mouth still gaped wide-open, his wife chatted happily to their guests. Every time she caught his eye he was still staring at her, dumb-struck. It was all she could do not to dissolve into fits of laughter. Wait until I get my wife on her own, Charles thought merrily. Then he immediately had to try to delete that thought from his mind as he conjured up lots of very inappropriate things he would like to do to Elsie.

######

"Thank you once again for a lovely meal Mrs Hughes … and a lovely evening …" Tom said, kissing Elsie on the cheek.

"Yes indeed Mrs Hughes … you are quite the cook … thank you very much for having us …" Lady Mary said warmly.

A quick look flashed between Elsie and Charles. They both knew that she was definitely not a great cook!

"It was our pleasure …" Elsie replied, and it had been. Even putting to one side her little jest with Charles, she had enjoyed the evening immensely.

The four said their goodbyes and as Charles and Elsie waved goodbye to their guests, Charles was already using his other hand to massage her bottom.

"Charles Carson … they can still see us you know …" Elsie said, through clenched teeth as she continued to wave and smile at Tom and Lady Mary. She smiled up at Charles, shaking her head happily.

As soon as Lady Mary and Tom were out of view, Charles hastily closed the front door and began to tickle Elsie.

"I cannot believe you let me worry about that pudding and all the while you knew it would taste nice … I almost had a heart attack as I watched them eating it …" Charles said, through waves of laughter as he tickled her.

"Charles Carson … you deserved nothing less … you would have let me serve what you thought was a rotten dish to Lady Mary and Tom …" Elsie joked, attempting to tickle him back but infuriatingly Charles did not seem ticklish.

"I could not bear to disappoint you Elsie … I thought it may hurt your feelings if I told you what I really thought …" Charles said kindly, as he stopped the tickling and wrapped his arms around her waist.

"Oh you sweet, wonderful man … thank goodness Beryl told me the truth … she thought it was awful … was it really that bad?" Elsie asked, more amused than anything else.

"Elsie … it could have stripped the paper off the walls!" Charles replied, as Elsie continued to laugh.

"Oh Charles I am sorry … what must you think… having a wife that can't cook …" Elsie smiled.

"Elsie … I could not care less if you can't cook … you have many, many other talents …" he smiled, wiggling his eyebrows.

Elsie could see that look in his eyes again and she was delighted.

"Well, in that case … would you like me to show you some of those talents right now?" she teased.

Charles let out a low, hoarse groan as he moved his hands to Elsie's bottom, pulling her flush against him. She could already feel his arousal and she was not far behind.

"Yes please my love …" he murmured.

"You'll have to catch me first …" Elsie taunted, as she loosened herself from his grasp and began to leap up the stairs two at a time.

Charles chased her and caught up with her halfway up the stairs. He grasped her and she screamed in delight as he pulled her down onto the stairs, with him leaning over her and kissing her passionately. She felt the weight of his body on top of her and she murmured against his mouth as she reached out to run her hands through his hair, pulling his mouth even more firmly to hers. Charles grasped one of her legs, raising it so his hand was beneath her knee, as he pressed it into his side. He ran his hand up and down her leg as he continued to suck and tease her lips. Both were groaning in pleasure. Elsie left one hand cupping his face as she drew him in even closer, as her other hand slid down to squeeze his bottom. They both paused when they heard the front door thud against the wall. They were still gripping each other passionately, the thud having served as a temporary distraction. Charles presumed he had not shut the door properly and perhaps the wind had blown it open. However, neither had expected to hear Lady Mary's voice,

"Sorry to disturb you … I forgot my scarf …" she said, with unmistakable laughter in her voice.

Neither Elsie nor Charles moved, with him still crushing her beneath him on the stairs. They did not dare breathe as they lay completely still, knowing they were in full view of Lady Mary. They heard the front door close firmly shut and they both looked at each totally stunned. Then Elsie began to giggle whilst covering her face in embarrassment. That set Charles off, and he began to laugh too. He was mortified.

"Will we ever learn to lock that bloody door?" Elsie asked, as both blushed furiously, laughing heartily, thinking about what Lady Mary had just seen.


	33. Chapter 33

Chapter 33

"Charles we are in Church …" Elsie whispered, as his hand that had been holding hers, began to gently stroke her thigh.

He smiled in reply; a mischievous grin on his face as Elsie rolled her eyes.

As they stood to sing the next hymn, Charles put his arm around her waist to pull her in a little closer. Elsie shot Charles a look that told him to stop it right now.

Charles gave her an apologetic look but did not remove his arm from around her waist. Elsie stared at him in total disbelief as he continued to sing quite innocently, looking straight ahead.

As they sat, at the end of the hymn, he left his arm exactly where it was, holding her tightly with a naughty smile on his face, whilst making sure not to catch her eye. He then began to softly caress her side with his thumb whilst listening to the sermon. Thankfully, Elsie thought, no one could see him doing this as his arm was now out of sight.

Elsie shook her head with a smile. She had never seen this side of Charles before, well not before they were married anyway. She had always thought he would be quite reserved with his affection but was very glad to note that this was not the case. Both of them seemed unable to keep their hands off each other. Elsie blushed at this thought; was it very unseemly to be so affectionate at their age? Yet, she realised that despite their age, they were a newly married couple, and therefore still in the first throws of romance. When she normally observed couples of their age, they would probably have been married for 30 years and therefore, understandably, were not quite as tactile as perhaps they once were. But she and Charles had been friends and nothing more for all of those years and so now they were making up for lost time.

They were sat near the back of the church, with Beryl to Elsie's right and Mr Bates and Anna beside Charles. The Family sat at the front of the church as usual. Beryl noticed where Charles' hand was and giggled, whispering to Elsie,

"Charlie boy seems to be getting a little hot and bothered!"

Elsie let out a snort of laughter as she gave Beryl a dig with her elbow, to get her to keep quiet. Charles looked down at his wife; he could see she was stifling a laugh at something. He loved it when she smiled and he was glad to say that he was often the cause of such happiness nowadays. He bent his head and kissed her lightly on the cheek. Beryl and Elsie giggled at that, as Elsie rested her hand on his leg and moved a little more snugly to his side.

######

The service was over and the congregation were gathered outside the beautiful village church, standing in small groups catching up with friends and enjoying the morning sun.

Elsie and Charles were talking to Beryl as Lady Mary walked over to join them. Neither had seen her since the little incident on the stairs.

"Good morning Mr and Mrs Carson, hello Mrs Patmore …" she said, as she approached.

"Good Morning Lady Mary … did you enjoy the service?" Elsie asked, as Charles found something very interesting to look at on the ground. Elsie looked at him and rolled her eyes, he was obviously going to be no help at all.

"I did Mrs Carson … and how are you and this lovely husband of yours? Still enjoying wedded bliss?" Lady Mary said, and Elsie was sure she noted a hint of teasing in her voice.

Charles mumbled something unintelligible towards the floor. Elsie shook her head at him as Beryl looked puzzled. She knew something was going on here and she was desperate to know what.

"Yes … yes … we are Lady Mary … very much so …" Elsie answered, as breezily as possible. She wasn't sure whether she should mention the stairs incident head-on or not.

"Marvellous … and thank you again for dinner the other evening … Tom and I had a very pleasant evening …" Lady Mary cooed.

Charles shuffled uneasily; he still had not raised his gaze. Right, head-on it is, Elsie thought.

"Oh I am glad … we enjoyed it too … Lady Mary I must apologise for how the evening ended … that was most unfortunate …" Elsie said as politely as possible. Charles turned a nice shade of red beside her. Beryl was virtually salivating now; desperate to know the details.

"Oh not at all … I thought it was rather marvellous … not being able to keep your hands off each other for a minute longer …" Lady Mary teased, and even Elsie was shocked at this response.

Elsie looked wide-eyed at Lady Mary; Charles made some sort of coughing noise and continued to stare at the floor.

"Oh have they been at it again!" Beryl added, as Elsie gave her an exasperated look.

Lady Mary giggled, as Charles almost choked.

"Honestly … they can't keep their hands off each other Milady … you know when you and I went around to visit them ..." Beryl began, getting more and more animated as she continued.

"Beryl!" Elsie interjected. Charles wore a look of sheer panic on his face.

Charles and Elsie both glared at their friend. Elsie was turning a bright shade of red to match Charles. Please god, don't tell Lady Mary we were having a fumble on the settee, Elsie thought pleadingly. Not to mention the fact that her husband was hiding half-naked behind the settee the whole time! Beryl realised that she was embarrassing her friends and so she speedily back-tracked.

"… oh never mind me … I am only jealous … it is lovely to see you both so happy …" Beryl said genuinely. As Elsie and Charles were both filled with relief, so pleased that the settee situation was not about to be revealed!

"It is indeed … and please don't be embarrassed by our teasing … we are all genuinely thrilled for you both …" Lady Mary added.

"Thank you Lady Mary …" Elsie managed. Elsie looked at her husband, and with a smile, hit him playfully on the chest. Beryl and Lady Mary watched the newly married pair with amusement.

"Ouch … what was that for?" Charles asked, surprised that his wife was striking him!

"For being absolutely useless and letting me face all of the teasing … especially when you are to blame for most of those embarrassing situations …" Elsie joked.

"Elsie Carson … that is not true … you pounce on me as often as I pounce on you!" he said in reply, forgetting for a moment that they were in company.

"Charles Carson I never pounce!" Elsie said, indignant at that accusation.

"What about in the garden … when I was building the pond?" he said, knowing he had made a good point. He stood, very proud, thinking he might finally win an argument with Elsie.

"Well … what about in Church just now … when you were fondling my leg … in a Church Charles!" Elsie added the last point for greater effect.

Lady Mary and Beryl gasped in utter joy at that. Their gasps suddenly brought Elsie and Charles back to the present as they realised they were having this little quarrel in front of the others.

"I do beg your pardon Milady … and Beryl … I was not fondling … what I mean to say is … I was simply …. um … I was … um … well I was just … resting my hand … yes that's right … I was resting my hand for a brief moment …." Charles said, with all the seriousness he could muster. He spoke in the same manner that he used when announcing a guest at Downton. He sounded so regal, despite him discussing something so silly.

Elsie looked up at this, incredulous. She shook her head at her silly husband.

"Well you won't be _resting _your hands on me for the foreseeable future … so let's see how you like that!" Elsie said firmly, and turned triumphantly away from her husband to face Lady Mary and Beryl once again. The two women were still giggling at the sight before them; Charles and Elsie bickering with each other.

Charles gazed open-mouthed at Elsie. Surely she doesn't mean that, he thought worriedly. He did not think he would cope without being able to touch her. In fact, he never wanted to stop touching her. He had never had such desires before. She was his everything. Surely she did not mean what she had said? He could not have made her that angry. He took hold of her hand; he wanted reassurance that everything was ok. As he held her hand, he reached down and kissed her on the cheek. She turned towards him again, shaking her head with a little smile.

"I am sorry Elsie …" he whispered to her.

"I am sorry too …" she replied, reaching up to cup his face in her hands and giving him the sweetest kiss.

"Oh here we go … they are at it again!" Beryl cried.

"Avert your eyes Beryl ... avert your eyes!" Charles said, as he returned Elsie's kiss with ardour.

Lady Mary and Beryl smiled in wonder as Mr and Mrs Carson proved just how happy they were! Wedded bliss indeed, Lady Mary thought joyously.

**A/N: Thank you for the wonderful reviews x**


	34. Chapter 34

Chapter 34

Charles and Elsie were walking arm in arm around the Village Fair. Elsie was thrilled to be visiting the fair with her husband, as he had always flatly refused to accompany her whilst they were at Downton. Most of the village had turned out for the evening attractions. There was a juggler entertaining the crowds, as well as a punch and judy puppet show that had the children mesmerised. It was dark now, and the colourful lights that were draped around the top of each stall were twinkling brightly.

Elsie felt such joy as she made her way around the fair with Charles. They had been married almost 3 months now and she was so proud to be Charles Carson's wife. She looked up at him, as he stared straight ahead, and her heart skipped a beat thinking how handsome he was. He had aged, of course, as had she, but he remained a very attractive man. As they walked between the stalls, she enjoyed his warmth as she snuggled into his side more closely, holding his arm.

Charles looked down at his wife with such love, as the bright lights at the fair lit her beautiful face in the darkness. He was so happy, so unbelievably happy, to have Elsie as his wife; to think that he would get to spend the rest of his life with her, filled his heart with pure joy. She could have chosen any man in this village and yet she chose him. He thanked god every day for this blessing; he was a very lucky man indeed.

"Oh look there's Anna … and Mr Bates …" Elsie said excitedly. She loved Anna like a daughter and she did miss her, now that she did not get to see her every day. Charles smiled at his wife, knowing how fond she was of the younger girl, as they headed over to join them.

######

Charles and Elsie had enjoyed a glass of cider with the younger couple; happily chatting to them, as they stood enjoying the fresh evening air. Elsie had updated them on her new pond, as well updating them about some other alterations they had made to the cottage.

"So how are things at Downton?" Elsie asked.

"Oh much the same … Thomas still thinks he is cock of the walk …" Anna said, as Elsie and Charles laughed.

" … and Mrs Bigley?" Elsie asked.

"Yes … she is doing well … although it's not the same as having you there …" Anna smiled at Elsie; she had always seen the older woman as a second mother.

"Thank you Anna … and I am very pleased she is doing well … she seems like a lovely lady …" Elsie replied, and she meant it.

"So Mr Carson … have you won your lovely wife any prizes yet?" Mr Bates teased, whilst proudly pointing to a huge teddy bear that Anna was holding. He had no idea what he had started with that innocent question.

"Not yet Mr Bates … but I am sure it's just a matter of time …" Charles answered, confidently.

"Just a matter of time … you had four goes at the skittles and you still did not win a thing! " Elsie giggled, looking up at her husband.

"I was just warming up … anyway those skittles are nailed to the floor if you ask me …" Charles huffed.

"My husband is a very bad loser …" Elsie jested, as Anna and Mr Bates laughed.

"I am not … I just think some of these games are impossible that is all …" Charles said sulkily.

"Impossible? Well why don't I have a go at the hoopla and we will see how impossible it is …" Elsie said, as the younger couple giggled at the pair.

"Elsie … I am telling you now that you will not be able to win a thing at that game … the hoops are too small to fit over the prizes …" he said tetchily.

"Nonsense … why don't we both have a go and we'll see who wins …" Elsie challenged.

"Elsie … I don't think that is a good idea … we both know how competitive you are …" Charles said, raising his eyebrows to high heaven.

"I am not competitive!" Elsie said adamantly.

"Elsie … you did not speak to me for three hours after I beat you at chess the other night …" Charles stated.

"Charles Carson that is not true …" Elsie replied. However, as her husband rolled his eyes in her direction, she was forced into an admission.

"… I may have been a little quieter than usual that evening … but … well it was for two hours at most!" Elsie said stubbornly.

"Maybe hoopla isn't such a good idea after all …" Anna said warily, biting her lip to stop herself continuing to laugh.

"Oh no … we are definitely playing now … now that he thinks I won't be able to win … come on …" she said to Charles, as she strode off towards the stall.

Charles huffed and puffed but he still walked after his wife. Anna and Mr Bates followed, not wanting to miss a thing.

Elsie went first and frustratingly had no success with her 3 hoops. Charles looked at her smugly.

"Go on then … if you are so clever …" she dared.

Charles's first attempt missed by a mile. Elsie bit her lip to stop from giggling. Anna and Mr Bates held their breath. However, his second shot rattled over a prize and just fell an inch short. This near miss spurred Charles on but it only served to worry Elsie. She really did hate losing! Charles concentrated intently for his third and final shot, and just as he was about to throw the hoop, Elsie gave him a quick pinch on the bottom to distract him. The hoop veered off in an entirely different direction, missing all of the prizes by a mile. Elsie stood innocently looking up at Charles.

"I cannot believe you did that!" Charles cried.

Anna and Mr Bates had no idea what he meant; they had been focusing on the stall full of prizes as Elsie had carried out her little distraction.

"I didn't do a thing Charles … now don't blame me because you missed the prize …" Elsie said, attempting to keep a straight face.

"Elsie Carson! You know full well what you did!" Charles said, his jaw dropping open as he gazed at his wife.

"What did I do … might I ask?" Elsie said confidently, knowing that Charles would never be able to describe her actions in front of their young friends; he would be mortally embarrassed to say such words.

Elsie smiled up at her husband, knowing he was beaten. He could not help but smile at his wife's cheeky grin. She was so pretty when she was teasing him like this. It was all he could do not to embrace her right there in the middle of the fair. She reached up and gave him a loving kiss on the cheek as he shook his head happily at her. She linked arms again with him as they smiled at each other. The four of them were just about to head to the drinks stall for another cider, when they were distracted by a loud cheer. They all looked to the stall to see that a hoop had landed over an expensive box of chocolates.

"You see … that's how it's done!" Elsie said warmly, as she squeezed Charles's arm.

They all looked to see who had thrown the winning shot. The two couples were full of smiles, happy that someone, at least, was successful at this game. However, Elsie's smile soon turned to one of shock as she caught the eye of the happy winner. Charles felt his wife tense beside him and then she withdrew her arm from his, as she stared at the man in front of them.

"Elsie Hughes …" the man beamed.

"Joe Burns …" Elsie whispered, feeling faint.

**A/N: Thank you for your reviews- they are so lovely to read. Please do keep reviewing if you have the time x**


	35. Chapter 35

Chapter 35

"Elsie … I wondered if I would see you here …" Joe smiled. He could not take his eyes from his former love.

"It is lovely to see you Joe … it really is …" Elsie replied genuinely.

"You look wonderful ..." Joe flattered.

Elsie really did not know what to do. She was totally shocked to see Joe. They had not kept in touch since his last visit to Downton; Elsie had understood why he would not want to continue to correspond with her, she had turned down his proposal of marriage twice after all. She knew that she needed to tell Joe that she was married now; however she could not think of a way of doing that without hurting him. Elsie Carson, do not be so big-headed, she chided herself; Joe has probably long since forgotten about you and will not mind one bit that you are married to another man. However, even as she told herself this, she knew it not to be true; she could see by the way he looked at her that he still had at least some feelings for her. Only two men in her life had ever looked at her in that way: Joe and Charles. Charles! Elsie thought with a panic, what must he think?

Charles watched his wife as she stared at Joe Burns. Joe Burns! Two words that were sure to make his heart ache. He remembered all those years ago when Elsie had confided to him in her sitting room, describing her former suitor coming back to Downton to propose again. He had never felt more anxious as he sat, waiting to find out if she had accepted his marriage proposal. He remembered making some pitiful joke about Elsie wondering what she had ever seen in the man, however Elsie, kind as always, had told Charles that Joe was still a nice man. When she told him that she had turned Joe down; Charles had never felt such relief. He had thought he might lose her; lose her before he had told her how much he loved her. Thankfully this had not happened, and now he was blessed to be married to Elsie, but he still had a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach now that this man had reappeared.

Anna and Mr Bates, had taken a step backwards, they felt they were intruding; although at this point they were not quite sure exactly what was happening. Finally, Elsie realised that she needed to say something,

"There is someone I would like to introduce you to Joe … this is Charles Carson … my husband …" she said, as softly as possible. She would never want to hurt this man; he had only ever shown her kindness.

Joe stumbled for a second. He looked to Charles and then back to Elsie. He then forced a smile.

"Mr Carson ... it is very good to meet you ..." he said.

"Mr Burns … it is good to meet you too ..." Charles replied politely, stepping forward to shake his hand.

There was an awkward silence but then a very loud cough broke the tension.

"Oh I am sorry … where are my manners … Mr and Mrs Carson … this is Jennifer Brown … my fiancée …" he stuttered.

An attractive woman with grey hair stepped forward. Elsie was shocked by this new development. She attempted to hide her surprise but Charles had already noticed the change in her demeanour. It made him feel nervous; why on earth would Elsie be bothered that Joe had a fiancée?

"Mrs Brown … it is lovely to meet you …" Charles said.

"Yes … Mrs Brown … I am delighted to meet you …" Elsie added.

"Oh the pleasure is all mine … and how, may I ask, do you know Mr Burns?" she asked. There was an edge to her voice, almost a sarcastic tone. She had said it was a pleasure to meet them whilst making it sound like the least pleasurable thing imaginable. Her eyes locked with Elsie's.

"Umm … well Joe … apologies … Mr Burns … and I are old friends … we knew each other when we were young …" Elsie answered, trying to smooth things over.

She could not believe that Joe had never mentioned her to this woman; although she realised that he probably wanted to forget her after the hurt she had caused him. Elsie hoped that Jennifer Brown would believe her; although the others all knew that Elsie and Joe had been more than friends. Anna and Mr Bates had now left the foursome alone; this situation was tense enough without more prying eyes.

"Old friends?" Jennifer asked, suspiciously.

"Yes … old friends … so … Mr and Mrs Carson … are you enjoying the fair?" Joe asked, trying to change the subject.

"Yes … yes … very much so …" Elsie answered, happy to divert the conversation also.

"It is frightfully dull if you ask me ..." Jennifer added. There was a sharpness to the woman that seemed to be particularly directed towards Elsie.

Elsie thought it best to ignore this harshness and focus on Charles. She reached out to take his hand in hers and squeezed it reassuringly. He looked down at her and she gave him the most loving smile. She did not want to hurt Joe, he was a good man, but she also did not want to hurt Charles, whom she loved with all of her heart. Charles smiled at his wife although he still felt uneasy.

"Please forgive Jennifer ... a village fair is not really her thing ... I am glad you are having a lovely evening …" Joe added. Jennifer grumbled.

"Yes … although we haven't had as much success as you …" Charles said, as he pointed to the box of chocolates.

"Oh yes … I was always quite lucky on the hoopla …" Joe replied, glancing meaningfully at Elsie.

Elsie remembered fondly the little straw doll he had won for her on his last visit. She smiled at Joe and he returned her smile.

Charles also recalled the little doll Joe had won for Elsie. He had despised that doll. Every time he had seen it in Elsie's sitting room, it had brought back terrible memories of the time he had almost lost her. As Charles watched Elsie and Joe smile at each other, the jealousy that he had been attempting to keep hidden, rose to the surface.

"Yes … well I think I should have another go ... I am sure if Mr Burns can win something ... I certainly can too …" Charles said confidently, wanting to erase Elsie's memories of that blasted doll.

"Charles don't be silly … there is no need …" Elsie replied. The last thing she wanted was for Charles to try and prove something to Joe. That kind of macho game could only ever end in disaster.

"Yes I think I might have another go as well …" Joe added. He could see that Elsie's husband wanted to prove something, and he was not going to simply roll over and let him. He had been trying to be civil to the man, despite his dislike of any man who had won Elsie's heart, however if he wanted a fight, he was happy to oblige. Oh dear god, Elsie thought, how can two lovely men lose all sense of reason when it comes to a game of hoopla?

"Why on earth would you want to have another go Joe … you have already won the chocolates … I am tired of this little small-town fair anyway … let's just go ..." Jennifer said firmly. She was furious that her fiancée seemed determined to show-off in front of this other woman.

"Not just yet Jennifer … let me try and win something else for you first …" Joe added, never taking his eyes from Charles.

"I don't want you to win anything for me! I am bored of this twee fair … I want to go now …" Jennifer demanded. She could see that Joe and Elsie had been more than friends; and she did not like the way her fiancée looked at this woman at all.

"Well if you don't want the prize Jennifer … I can always give it to Elsie …" he said, directing this challenge at Charles.

"There will be no need for you to win anything for my wife Mr Burns … I am quite capable of winning her something myself ..." Charles said sternly.

"Charles please … why don't we go and have another cider … I really don't need you to win anything for me …" Elsie said, still tightly holding his hand. She was gazing at him, pleading with her eyes for him to let this go. However, the green-eyed monster had well and truly taken hold of her husband and there was no way he would let this lie. She felt her husband let go of her hand.

"Would you like to go first Mr Burns?" Charles asked, handing the money to the stall owner.

"Oh no Mr Carson … I insist you go first …" Joe chirped. The game was on.

Elsie sighed. She had an ominous feeling about this. She stepped back to allow the two men some space, shaking her head. How had this lovely evening gone so very wrong?

Charles threw the first hoop. No luck. Joe followed and only just missed another prize. They both took their second turns without any success. Charles threw his third hoop and almost won a small prize but the hoop fell just short. Joe picked up his third and final hoop. Elsie prayed that he would miss, she did not know what Charles would do if Joe won another prize. As ridiculous as it was, she knew that it would hurt Charles if he lost out to Joe. Joe threw the hoop in the air and sure enough, it fell cleanly over a bottle of wine. Elsie closed her eyes and sighed.

As she opened her eyes she saw Charles's shoulders stiffen. He looked dejected and angry. She reached out to hold his hand once again, smiling up at him.

"The best man won it seems Mr Carson?" Joe joked.

Charles glared at his rival, realising he could quite happily punch him.

"Congratulations Mr Burns …" Charles said flatly, trying to contain his growing anger.

"Thank you Mr Carson … Elsie ... this is for you ..." he said, offering her the bottle of wine.

She could feel Charles tense beside her. She gripped his hand even more tightly.

"No thank you Joe … I do not want the wine … give it to Mrs Brown …" Elsie replied.

"Are you sure Elsie? You used to enjoy a glass of red. In fact, I remember enjoying many happy evenings with you over a bottle of red?" Joe flirted.

Charles was trying desperately to contain his fury as he clenched Elsie's hand even more tightly.

"Please stop this Joe ... " Elsie said firmly.

Elsie was disappointed that Joe seemed to have taken pleasure in defeating her husband and that he was now attempting to wind Charles up about their past. Joe immediately felt terrible; he was jealous and he had wanted to outdo Charles at something, but this behaviour was not like him at all. He had let their little competition get the better of him and he had certainly never meant to upset Elsie.

"I do apologise Elsie ... and to you also Mr Carson ... I got carried away ... please forgive me ..." Joe said sincerely.

"No need to apologise Mr Burns ... I hope you enjoy your wine and your chocolates ... after all ... I think we both know that I won the prize you really wanted ..." Charles said smugly.

"Charles!" Elsie shouted. She could not believe what he had just said, particularly after Joe had apologised.

"He is deliberately trying to rile me Elsie ... and he is flirting with you right in front of me ... not to mention in front of his own fiancée!" Charles cried.

"Charles for goodness sake ... we are in public ... do you want the entire village to hear you?" Elsie whispered, stunned that her husband was reacting in this way.

"I don't much care who hears me Elsie ... but I am certainly not standing here listening to this man talking of your happy evenings together and him telling you how wonderful you look ... you are married to me not him!" Charles said, he knew he was digging a deeper hole for himself but he was so jealous he really could not seem to stop.

"Charles Carson ... will you control yourself ... for heaven's sake ... " Elsie replied. She was furious with her husband.

"Control myself! I am stood in front of the man who proposed to you twice and you expect me to listen to him flirting with you!" Charles said exasperated. Jennifer gasped.

"Well I am sure your wife is now wondering whether she chose the right man, given your behaviour this evening ..." Joe said, no longer holding back.

"How dare you!" Charles said, as he lunged forward grabbing hold of Joe. Joe was only too happy to respond as he tussled with Charles and both fell to the floor. As they both attempted to throw hapless punches at each other, neither being used to fighting, Elsie stood with her mouth wide-open as she watched her mild-mannered and gentile husband tumble over and over on the ground with her former suitor.

"Charles Carson stop this right now ... and you too Joe!" she eventually shouted, as she regained her senses.

Almost immediately the men stopped their scrap, both glad to stop really, as they both clambered off the ground, breathing heavily. Both were covered in dirt, with clothes all askew and their hair a mess. They both had some small grazes and cuts to their hands and face but other than that there was little sign of injury. As they both stood, trying to regulate their breathing, they both looked to Elsie who neither had ever seen look more furious.

Charles looked to his wife apologetically, rubbing the back of his neck as his breathing evened. He was trying not to imagine how upset she was with him.

"I am sorry Elsie ... I know you will be angry ..." Charles began but was interrupted by his enraged wife.

"Angry? Angry? That does not even begin to cover how I feel Charles Carson!"

**A/N: Thank you for your continued support. Please do keep reviewing xxx**


	36. Chapter 36

Chapter 36

"Words fail me Charles Carson! Words really do fail me!" Elsie fumed, as they entered the cottage.

Charles wished that words really did fail his wife, she seemed to have quite a few words at her disposal right now. However, he knew that he deserved every one of them following his behaviour this evening; he only hoped that Elsie would forgive him eventually.

"Fighting on the village green in front of everyone … oh my good god Charles! You have outdone yourself this time!" Elsie cried.

"Elsie I am so sorry … I know my behaviour was a disgrace …" he tried.

"It certainly was a disgrace Charles Carson … what were you thinking?" she shouted.

They had made it to their sitting room; Elsie threw her coat down on the settee and looked at her husband standing before her. Scrapes and cuts all over his face and hands, and dirt all over his clothes. He looked like he had been dragged through a hedge backwards. He took his coat off as well. Charles knew she was mad and it was never a good sign when Elsie kept using his full name!

"I wasn't thinking … I was just so jealous of Joe … he was winding me up Elsie …" Charles tried to explain.

"Jealous Charles? And what were you jealous of exactly? I haven't seen the man for years … I am happily married to you … what did you think would happen? Did you think I would run off with him because he won a flaming game of hoopla?" Elsie asked, hysteria in her voice.

She stormed out of the sitting room and started to make her way up the stairs. Charles followed, yelling after her,

"No of course not … but the man has proposed to you twice Elsie …"

"Yes ... and I have turned him down twice! And the second time I turned him down because of you … despite the fact that I did not even think you cared for me at that point … I still turned him down because I loved you and not him!" she cried.

"He was flirting with you Elsie … and you were smiling at him …" Charles added.

"Oh well that explains it then … if I smiled at him … then of course you should have rugby tackled him to the floor!" Elsie screamed.

Charles watched as his wife stomped all over their bedroom. She was managing to undress and change into her nightgown at the same time as shouting at him; it was really quite a skill. He was both infuriated with her and aroused, as she stripped down to her underwear, throwing her blouse and skirt over the chair. This argument would be so much easier if I didn't want her so much, he thought maddeningly.

"You were upset over Sarah …" Charles huffed, and immediately regretted it as he watched Elsie's expression turn to fire once again as she pulled her nightgown out of a drawer.

"Don't you dare try to compare the Sarah situation to this … I was upset because you had never mentioned Sarah to me … not because you had courted her … and I told you all about Joe … you knew about Joe before we even got engaged ..." Elsie explained through her fury, removing her brassiere as she shouted at him and flinging it on the chair with her clothes. Charles groaned as he gazed at Elsie standing in front of him in just her knickers. He watched in awe as she let her nightgown slide over her head, covering her breasts. She was so furious with him and yet he could not help but be turned on. He shook his head, he needed to concentrate on his response,

"I know I did … but then when I met him … and saw the way he looked at you … I could not stand it Elsie …" Charles hollered, as he began to undo the buttons on his shirt.

"Apparently not! And you certainly did not see me scrapping with Sarah in the teashop … no matter how much she tried to wind me up … heaven's … it was bad enough when you were rude to Richard … but at least you didn't hit him!" Elsie cried.

"I don't know what to say Elsie … I have never had a fight in my life …" Charles said honestly, as he took he trousers off, hopping from side to side as his foot got tangled as he did so. He was now standing in just his undershorts.

"Well you have now! And you don't do things by halves … could you not have had your first fight somewhere private rather than in front of the entire village?!" Elsie said, knowing that this argument was starting to get ridiculous.

"… I was fighting for you Elsie ... he said that you would wish you had married him and not me … I saw red … I love you so much … and the thought of losing you … of you having feelings for another man … I just could not bear it … I wanted to show him that he could not just turn up out of the blue and try to steal you from me …" Charles shouted defiantly.

"Charles … he was not trying to steal me … good lord … he is engaged to another woman … he loves Jennifer not me … goodness knows why … as she seems quite horrible … but he is marrying her …" Elsie cried.

"I knew it! You are jealous of her! You must still have feelings for him if you are jealous of his new fiancée …." Charles said accusingly, as he bent to pull on his pyjama bottoms.

"Charles Carson! How dare you! I am not jealous of that woman … and I certainly do not have any feelings for Joe … other than feelings of friendship … " she stormed.

Elsie turned away from her husband, as she folded down the bed covers.

"Well then why did you go all prickly when he introduced her … and don't deny it as I saw it with my own eyes … you were jealous!" Charles said adamantly, as he tried to button his pyjama top. He could not manage the buttons as he was in such a temper and so he eventually just took it off and through it on the floor.

Elsie spun around to face her husband. She actually might have to throttle him; so incensed was she that he was accusing her of being jealous! They stood not a foot apart now; she in her nightgown and him in his pyjama bottoms.

"I was not jealous! I was simply surprised that is all … don't you dare try to turn this around on me! You are the one that was jealous! You are the one who attacked my friend in the middle of the village fair … do you not trust me Charles? Is that it?" she asked furiously.

"Of course I trust you … it's him I do not trust … he wants you Elsie … fiancée or not … believe me he wants you … I can see it … he wants you so much and he would do anything to have you …" Charles yelled.

"Well I don't want him! I want you!" she screamed.

"Well I am glad to hear it because I want you too!" Charles roared.

They both jumped on each other; unable to resist a moment longer. Charles pulled her to him so forcefully, they both nearly toppled over. He devoured her lips, kissing her ravenously as his hands gripped and squeezed every inch of her body. They were both gasping for breath as they sucked and bit each other's lips, Elsie's hands running through his hair, pulling his face down to hers so she could taste him fully. His one hand roamed under her night gown fondling her bottom through her silk knickers. His other hand gripped her breast so hard, Elsie groaned in delight. She ran her hands down from his hair, caressing his bare chest. Charles then turned Elsie so that her back rested against his chest, still holding her flush against himself. She could now feel his desire grinding up against her shapely bottom as he kept one hand wrapped around her middle to keep her hard up against him, as the other groped her breasts, pulling her nightgown down off her shoulders so he could feel her silky skin. He bit down on her neck as he crushed himself against her bottom. She could feel him throbbing against her and she cried out his name; she needed him right now.

Elsie turned in his arms and pulled him towards the bed. She lay on her back, pulling him down on top of her.

"I am still furious with you Charles Carson!" Elsie panted.

"I know you are my love …" Charles murmured, as he pulled off her underwear. Elsie dragged her nightgown over her head and threw it on the floor.

"Ummm …." Elsie moaned happily as Charles kissed her passionately.

She raised her thigh over his hip and pushed him onto his back. He was more than happy to let her take control. She pulled off his pyjama bottoms and undershorts in one swift move, and wiggled her bottom against him as she settled herself in his lap, teasing him and rubbing against him. Charles cried Elsie's name loudly as she raised herself once more and this time let him fill her, as she murmured with desire. He gripped her hips as she thrashed up and down, riding him excitedly. They were both very near, as she leaned forward, pressing her breasts into his chest. Charles could not last a second longer as they climaxed together, collapsing in a joyous heap on the bed.

"I love you Elsie …" Charles purred, as he held his wife in his arms.

"I love you too … you jealous old fool …" she whispered, as she snuggled exhaustedly into his chest and they both drifted happily off to sleep.


	37. Chapter 37

Chapter 37

Charles and Elsie slept contentedly as dawn broke on another day. They had argued ferociously last night but had ended the evening in each other's arms. They were no nearer to sorting the problem but they certainly both felt better after a lovely satisfied sleep. Elsie was the first to wake; smiling at her husband as he gently snored.

As she lay in bed, Elsie heard the letterbox open and close; it was far too early for the morning post and so she got out of bed and headed downstairs to see what had been delivered. She could see a hand written envelope on the doormat and she knew instinctively who it was from. She picked up the envelope and sure enough, it was addressed to her and it was Joe's handwriting. She ripped open the letter but then paused when she heard movement upstairs. The last thing she wanted was to start another row at this early hour. Charles appeared at the top of the stairs in his dressing gown, as she quickly hid the letter behind her back.

"Morning my love …" Charles said, as he descended the stairs.

"Morning Charles …" Elsie replied lovingly.

He cupped her face in both hands and gave her a sweet kiss.

"You are up early Elsie … I thought we might have a lie-in today …" Charles said, as he stroked her face and kissed her again, wrapping his arms around her waist.

Elsie kissed him back, already feeling guilty about hiding the letter, even though she had not actually done anything wrong. She never could lie; she knew it would be written all over her face. She was still holding both of her arms behind her back; unable to hug him or he would see the note.

"Elsie what's wrong?" Charles asked.

"What do you mean?" Elsie asked, hoping to deflect his curiosity.

"Well … I know you are still angry about last night … but why won't you hug me back? Are you hiding something?" Charles said, letting go of her waist.

"No … of course not … I am not hiding anything … nothing … what would I be hiding?" Elsie stuttered, as Charles eyed her suspiciously.

Elsie let out a deep breath, she couldn't lie and what's more she did not want to.

"This just came …" she said with a resigned smile, holding it in the air.

"Is it from him?" Charles asked, trying to stay calm.

"Yes … " Elsie replied.

"What does it say?" Charles asked.

"I don't know … I haven't read it yet …" Elsie said honestly.

"Why were you hiding it from me?" Charles asked.

"I just did not want a huge row about it Charles … the last time you saw Joe you tackled him to the ground …" Elsie said.

"I know I did … and I regret that Elsie … I should never have been so jealous … you should open it to see what it says …" Charles prompted.

Elsie gave a sigh and then opened the letter. She read it silently and then looked up at Charles.

"Joe wants me to meet him for a drink later … to apologise for last night … and to catch up …" Elsie explained.

"A drink? That man! Well obviously you'll have to say no …" Charles said, matter-of-factly.

"No? I am not going to say no Charles … he is an old friend … we go back more than 30 years … it's just a quick drink in the Grantham Arms …" Elsie said calmly.

"Elsie … you are my wife ... you cannot go drinking in a public house with another man!" Charles said crossly, he was flabbergasted that she would even consider this.

"Charles … I might be your wife … but I am still allowed to have friends …" Elsie replied.

"Yes of course you are … but meeting an old flame is not the same as meeting up with a friend such as Beryl …" Charles added.

"It is exactly the same … unless you do not trust me …"

"Elsie … of course I trust you … let's not go through this again ... it is him I do not trust …" Charles said.

"Charles … Joe is a nice man … he wants nothing more than to chat to an old friend … what is the harm in that?" Elsie asked. She did not like this possessive side of Charles at all.

"Elsie I am telling you now that Joe wants more than friendship … anyone can see that … he wants you Elsie … I know he does …" Charles said. He was beginning to lose patience with Elsie.

"Charles … he is engaged to be married to another woman … and I am happily married to you … he wants nothing more … believe me!" Elsie tried to reassure Charles, exasperated that he was being so ridiculous.

"Elsie … you cannot meet Joe at the Grantham Arms and that is that … I forbid it …" Charles said furiously, and with that he turned and walked into the kitchen.

Elsie stood in the hallway, staggered by Charles's reaction. She knew that he had been jealous the night before but she had hoped that he would have been more rational by this morning. She thought about what he had just said and she knew he was wrong. Joe simply wanted to meet her to clear the air; there was no way on earth that he wanted anything more. Joe knew that she was married to Charles; any thoughts he might have once had of a future with Elsie were now null and void. He was marrying Jennifer. Elsie was married to Charles and her husband had just said that he forbade her to meet with Joe. Elsie felt her temperature rising. She had been very clear with Charles when they married that she was not the type of woman to obey her husband and he had always said that he loved her independence and spirit; why on earth would he forbid her to see her friend? Elsie was anxious about upsetting Charles, she would never want to hurt her husband but she really did not see how she could back down on this decision; if she did, she would be admitting that there was something to worry about with her and Joe and there certainly was not. She headed back upstairs to get dressed.

######

Elsie and Charles had spent the day in an uncomfortable stand-off; him not wanting to discuss the matter of Joe any further, she growing more and more angry about his attitude to Elsie meeting her friend. Charles had spent most of the day in the garden, whilst Elsie had spent the day stomping around the house, doing housework and thinking about the events of last night. It was nearing six o'clock, the time that Joe had suggested meeting with Elsie. She had already cooked Charles's dinner; it was in the oven waiting for him. She had made her decision although her husband was still not aware of this; she was going to meet Joe.

She walked through to the hallway and put on her coat. She reached for her scarf and gloves, completing her outfit and then she pinned her hat in place. She was ready and had suddenly become a bag of nerves, knowing that she was about to defy her husband. However, she kept reassuring herself; she was doing nothing wrong and Charles needed to get over this insane jealousy of Joe.

She walked through to the kitchen and opened the back door to say goodbye to Charles. As she opened the door, Charles immediately looked up towards her. He was dumbfounded to see her in her coat, ready to go out. He walked across the garden to where she stood.

"Elsie … please tell me you are not going to meet that man?" Charles said, shocked that his wife would do this.

"I am very sorry Charles … but I am going to meet Joe … I love you so much and you have nothing on earth to worry about … but he is my friend … and I need to clear the air with him following last night … I will only be gone an hour or two … I am simply meeting a friend Charles … I cannot leave things the way they were left last night … and you should not expect me too …" Elsie said, in the most measured tone she could muster.

"So you care more about the feelings of that man … than you do mine … and despite me explicitly asking you not to meet Joe … that is exactly what you are planning to do …" Charles said.

There was a sadness to his voice that broke Elsie's heart but she could not waver.

"Charles … you mean more to me than anyone on earth … but you are letting your jealousy cloud your feelings on this matter … please understand why I need to meet Joe …" Elsie said, hoping her husband would see reason.

"I don't understand it Elsie … I don't understand it at all … please do not go and meet that man …" Charles pleaded again.

Elsie took a huge breath, trying to hold back the tears that threatened. This was a real test; she and Charles had never had such a disagreement since they had been married. However, she was determined to stand her ground; she had to otherwise where would this end, would Charles forbid her ever to speak to a man again?

"I will be home by 8 o'clock Charles … I love you …" she said, as she reached up and kissed him on the cheek. Elsie made her way through the house and out of the front door. Charles heard the front door close behind her. He was staggered. Elsie was on her way to meet Joe Burns despite his protestations; and Charles did not trust that man at all.


	38. Chapter 38

Chapter 38

Elsie and Joe were enjoying a pleasant drink in the Grantham Arms. Joe had apologised profusely for his part in the tensions of the previous night. Elsie had accepted his apology. As they updated each other on their lives over the last few years, Elsie found herself distracted; it was lovely to chat to Joe but she could not help but worry about Charles. He was not happy that she had agreed to meet Joe; in fact he was livid about it. She felt that she had betrayed her husband and part of her wished she had never come to meet Joe; particularly when she thought of the frosty reception she would get from Charles when she got home. She decided, wisely, that what was done was done, and so she would try to enjoy the rest of her evening and make amends with Charles when she got home.

"So how did you meet Jennifer?" Elsie asked.

"Oh, she lives on a neighbouring farm. She was widowed a couple of years ago. I farmed part of her husband's land for him. I continued this after he died and … well I suppose we were both lonely and so we decided to get married. It seemed like the sensible thing to do …" Joe explained, taking another sip of whisky.

"Sensible? That doesn't sound very romantic …" Elsie said softly.

"It wasn't romantic at all … more practical really … I don't think she even likes me that much … even less so after my scuffle with Charles last night … I am not sure we will ever get married …" Joe added with a weary smile.

"Oh dear … I am sorry to hear that Joe … I hate to think that we have ruined things for you and Jennifer … surely if you explain … make her understand how much you want to marry her …" Elsie began, but was cut off my Joe.

"… but that's just it Elsie … I don't really want to marry her … she is not blind … she knows as well as I do that the girl I really want to marry is already taken …" he smiled, gazing meaningfully at Elsie.

Elsie blushed, biting her lip as she looked down at the table.

"Joe … don't be silly … you don't really mean that …" Elsie whispered, finally looking up at him.

"I do mean it Elsie … I have always meant it … I would give anything to have you as my wife … I have loved you for over 30 years …" he said, his voice cracking as he reached across the table to gently take hold of Elsie's hand.

Elsie swiftly pulled her hand back from his touch. She did not wish to hurt him, especially after he had shared such touching sentiments. Yet, she was a married woman, a very happily married woman, and the last thing she wanted was to do something that could be misconstrued or misread by Joe. He looked hurt as he sat across from her.

"Joe … I am sorry … I don't wish to cause you any pain … but I am married now … and I love Charles very much … he is my life …" Elsie said gently, not wanting to deliberately hurt him but wanting to make her love and commitment to Charles very clear. Joe smiled at Elsie and asked,

"Was Charles the reason you turned me down? Did you love him even then?" Joe asked.

"Yes … I have always loved Charles … it took us over twenty years to admit our feelings but yes … I loved Charles then and I love Charles now … I could not have married you Joe ... when my heart was already taken …" Elsie said, smiling caringly at him.

"He is such a lucky man Elsie … I hope he realises how blessed he is to have your love …" Joe said.

"I don't think Charles thinks he is too lucky at the moment … in fact I think he is completely furious with me …" Elsie sighed, feeling anxious again about Charles.

"… because you came to meet me?" Joe asked. Elsie nodded.

"… oh I am sorry Elsie … but maybe that tells you something …" Joe began.

He thought it was worth one last attempt to persuade Elsie that he was the man for her, and not Charles. He was fuelled by his feelings for Elsie, coupled by the copious amount of whisky he had now downed. Even Elsie had noticed that since she arrived, his glass had been regularly topped up by the barman and Joe was slurring some of his words.

"What do you mean?" Elsie asked, worriedly.

"… well if he truly loved you … he would not mind if you were meeting an old friend … maybe Charles does not love you as much as you love him … he is not worthy of you Elsie … I would do anything for you … I would make you happy … Charles will never make you as happy as I could … what kind of man attacks another man because he is jealous … he is a violent man Elsie … " Joe declared, as he reached out again to grasp her hand.

"Joe stop this … stop this right now … how dare you speak about Charles like that … you have no idea of his worth … none at all … he is the kindest, gentlest, most loving man … you provoked him last night and you know it … and the only reason he did not want me to meet you tonight was because he thought you wanted more than friendship from me … and he was right! I cannot believe I was so foolish … I thought you were my friend Joe … but Charles was right ... you cannot be trusted …" Elsie stated, as she stood up from her seat and began to put on her coat.

"Elsie please … I am sorry … please stay … please don't go … Elsie … I love you … I would never want to hurt you … I should not have said those things … forgive me Elsie … I have drank too much whisky … please Elsie …" he pleaded, as he also got up from his seat. Elsie could see how unsteady he was and she wondered how the lovely man who had courted her all of those years ago had turned into a spiteful drunk.

"I wish you happiness Joe … I really do … but I do not wish to stay a minute longer … and I do not wish to see you ever again …" Elsie said, as she walked swiftly out of the door.

######

Charles sat on the settee, watching the clock as every minute ticked by. Elsie said that she would be home by 8 o'clock; it was not even seven thirty yet. He wrung his hands together, and tapped his foot impatiently on the carpet as he wished his wife was home already. He had not expected her to go and meet Joe. He felt absolute fury towards that man; however the worst feeling, the one that made his heart ache, was the disappointment he felt in his wife. Elsie had wanted to clear the air with her friend, to smooth things over with him. Why was she thinking of his feelings instead of mine? Charles thought despondently. He knew that Elsie loved him and he knew, in his most rational thoughts, that she was not interested in Joe. However, he had seen the way Joe looked at his wife, and it made Charles nauseous to think of his wife enjoying a drink with that man. Elsie should be at home with me, Charles thought sadly.

######

As Elsie walked away from the public house, she could hear Joe calling after her. She quickened her pace as she began the walk back to the cottage. She wanted to get home to her husband, her lovely Charles, as soon as possible. She could still hear Joe's voice, surely he had given up by now, she thought not daring to look back. Without warning, she felt his hand on her shoulder. Elsie screeched in shock, turning to face him.

His face was reddened, he was out of breath and he was leaning forward, gripping her shoulders as he panted,

"Elsie please … I am sorry … I did not mean to upset you …"

Elsie could feel her heart race. She knew that Joe was not an aggressive man. He had never made her feel threatened or scared. However, she also knew how drink could affect some people, how it could change people, and the unsteady, desperate man standing in front of her was not the Joe she knew. She scanned her surroundings quickly; there was not another soul to be seen. She realised that she was too far from the pub for anyone to hear her cries if she screamed. He was clenching her shoulders so tightly, Elsie felt terror course through her veins. He was hurting her.

"Joe let go of me right now …" Elsie demanded. Her voice trembled as she said this. She was annoyed with herself for showing even the slightest hint of weakness.

Joe continued to grasp her shoulders.

"Elsie … don't be scared … I would never hurt you …" Joe slurred. The cool night air seemed to have exacerbated his drunken state.

"Joe … so help me … let go of me right now …" Elsie said more firmly.

"I love you Elsie … I want you … you are so beautiful … I want you so much …" he whimpered, as he lurched forward and brought his lips to hers. Something snapped inside her and she used every ounce of strength she could find to force Joe backwards, as she slapped his face, disgusted that he had dared to make such an unwanted advance. He stumbled and fell to the ground. He was a sorry sight as he lay on his back, on the muddy ground, breathless and beaten.

"Don't you ever … ever … come near me again … do you hear me? You disgust me Joe Burns …" Elsie screamed, as she turned and ran towards home.

######

Elsie reached her front door and she was out of breath. She rested against the wall until her breathing calmed. She knew that Charles would still be irate with her about meeting Joe. He had been completely right about the man; Elsie felt such a fool. However, Elsie knew that she could never tell Charles about Joe's improper words or his uncouth actions. She feared what Charles might do; and the last thing she wanted was to cause her husband any more upset. She would simply have to apologise profusely and ask for his forgiveness.

She let herself in the front door and walked hesitantly along the hallway. Charles was sitting on the settee, as Elsie reached the door to the sitting room. He had his back to her.

"I am home Charles …" she said quietly, hoping for a response. Charles did not reply.

"Charles … I need to apologise … I should not have gone to see Joe … I realise that now … I am truly sorry …" Elsie said, standing in the doorway, trying desperately not to cry.

Charles still did not turn to face her. He sat on the settee without moving or saying a word.

"Charles please … can we talk about this?" she asked.

"Not now Elsie … I don't want to talk about this now …" Charles finally said. His voice sounded so detached, so cold. Elsie knew that she had hurt him; it broke her heart.

"I am sorry Charles … I hope you can forgive me …" she said, her voice breaking.

Charles still did not turn to face her and therefore Elsie was unaware of the tears forming in his eyes, as he stared straight ahead.

"I'll go up to bed then … it's been a long day … Charles ... will you join me?" Elsie asked quietly. She wanted nothing more than to be held, and to fall asleep in her husband's arms.

Charles shook his head, as Elsie gasped, tears running down her face. She left the room and hurried upstairs. As she sat on the end of her bed, she was shaking; the fear of Joe gripping her so forcefully had finally hit home, she had been terrified, and the agony of Charles not wanting to be near her was too much to bear. She sobbed silently as she sat alone on the bed, as her husband shed his own tears downstairs.

**A/N: Thank you for your continued support- please do keep reviewing if you would like me to continue x**


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